Chapter 1

Question 1

Monist Theorist

Answer 1

there is only one kind of stuff in the world

Question 2

Materialists

Answer 2

• only matter and that the physical universe is causally closed (does not imply that consciousness can be reduced to physical states).
• consciousness or non-physical minds are not able to intervene in the physical world

Question 3

Identity Theory

Answer 3

mental states are identical with physical states.

Question 4

Functionalism

Answer 4

mental states are identical with functional states.

Question 5

Neutral monism

Answer 5

world is made up of one type of stuff that cannot be classified as either physical or mental.

Question 6

Panpsychism

Answer 6

view that all material things have associated awareness or mental properties; everything has a conscious (even a rock)

Question 7

Dualist Theorist

Answer 7

there are two kinds of stuff in the world.

Question 8

Cartesian Dualism (form of substance dualism)

Answer 8

world consists of the extended stuff in which physical bodies are made and the unextended thinking stuff of which physical bodies are made

Question 9

Main Problem of Substance Dualism

Answer 9

does not explain how the mind interacts with the body when the two are made of different substances

Question 10

Dualist interactionism

Answer 10

argue that the processes in the synapses of the brain are finely poised so that they can be influenced by a nonphysical thinking and feeling self (self controls the brain)

Question 11

Epiphenomenalism

Answer 11

• mental states are produced by physical events but have no causal role (physical events cause mental events but have no affect on physical events)
• type of dualism

Question 12

History of consciousness

Answer 12

• Appeared in the 18th century to describe philosophy of mental life
• Abolished during the rise of behaviorism
• Re-appeared in the 1970’s but subject peaked interest in the 1990’s

Question 13

Helmholtz (1821-1894)

Answer 13

made first measurement of the speed of conduction of nerve signals which was referred to as “velocity of thought”

Question 14

Freud

Answer 14

• conscious consisted of the impulses of the “id” (biological desires and needs
• the defence mechanisms and neurotic processes of the “ego”
• the “superego” was the source of conscience and guilt acquired through childhood experiences

Question 15

Phenomenology

Answer 15

-based on psychology and philosophy; based on putting subjective experience first

Question 16

Phenomenological reduction/epoche

Answer 16

-suspension of judgement

Question 17

Edmund Husserl (1859-1938)

Answer 17

-argued that by looking back on experiences you are systematically inquiring your conscious

Question 18

Franz Brentano (1838-1917)

Answer 18

onsciousness is based on the idea that every subjective experience is an act of reference.

Question 19

William Wundt

Answer 19

-father of experimental psychology
• Claimed there are two kinds of psychical elements
1) objective elements-sensations, tones, heat, light
subjective elements or feelings

According to Wundt, every conscious experience depended on a union of the two types (objective and subjective elements)

Question 20

John B. Watson

Answer 20

• behaviorist

- often blamed for the abolishment of introspection/conscious from psychology

Question 21

Skinner

Answer 21

• believed that human behavior is shaped by reinforcements

- believed that consciousness was an epiphenomenon and that it should not be studied by psychologists

Question 22

Easy Problem (surrounding consciousness)

Answer 22

• Problems that can be answered using science (ie. Understanding the neural mechanisms involved)

Question 23

Hard Problem

Answer 23

-question of how physical processes in the brain give rise to subjective experiences