essay intro concl

Question 1

intro

Answer 1

• Mind-brain identity theory (MBIT), poses multiple appeals- pivotally it functions in perfect agreement with scientific consensus and research, it allows for the language of folk psychology, it avoids the critical shortfalls of dualism, and the threat posed by Leibniz’s law, and that of ‘philosophical zombies’. (5)
• However, the issue of ‘multiple realizability’ renders MBIT either absurdly exclusive or alternately makes scientific research totally infeasible. (2)
• Alternatively, functionalism, whilst still boasting the appeals of MBIT, integrates the critical issue of multiple realizability into its conception of mental states.

Question 2

concl

Answer 2

• Overall then, MBIT, does have multiple benefits in its harmony with scientific consensus and common parlance in regard to mental state, and its metaphysical robustness.
• It fails, however, to provide a response to the unacceptable consequences of multiple realizability without sacrificing its fundamental practicability at the expense of its overall appeal, whereas functionalism is able to adapt the potential issue of multiple realizability into the advantage of versatility whilst retaining all the attractions of MBIT.