eliminative materialism

Question 1

Eliminative materialism

Answer 1

the theory that the phenomenal properties of consciousness which we refer to (e.g., belief) will eventually be reduced to physical processes explained by science.

Question 2

our certainty that our mental states exist

Answer 2

much like how we use our sense perception to verify that objects exist around us, we can use introspection to prove some things exist within us. these objects that can be uncovered through introspection are those of mental states.

Descartes as seen in the cogito argument states that introspection is the only method which can go undoubted and is even more reliable than sense perception.

Question 3

folk psychology has good predictive and explanatory power

Answer 3

eliminative materialism seems to ignore the successes of folk psychology as a theory. for instance, it can explain and predict situations using our mental states.

For instance, I can know that John will be at an exam in June because of his fear of losing his university spot. eliminative materialism cannot do this.

Question 4

the articulation of eliminative materialism as a theory is self refuting

Answer 4

eliminative materialism is self refuting. the theory itself requires a belief, a mental state, the exact thing which they are trying to rule out.

to assert something you must believe it. to say ‘it is raining but I do not believe that it is raining is absurd’

eliminative materialist assert a theory, and therefore must have beliefs.