Functionalism

Question 1

What is Functionalism?

Basic definition

Answer 1

View that all mental states are functional states
mental states can be characterised in terms of functional roles that can be multiply realised (giving form to multiple things)
Each mental state consists of a disposition to behave in a particular way given certain inputs from senses/other states

Question 2

What is causal role functionalism?

A way of understanding functionalism

Answer 2

Any functional state that can be described in terms of what causes it and what it causes in turn
Eg. What makes an eye is what it does: converting lightwaves into neural signals to enable an organism to navigate its enviroment

Question 3

What is Computational notion of functionalism?

Another way of understanding how functionalism works

Answer 3

argument that compares mental states to software
(Machine table: creates list of every possible combination of state and input, and assigns an output)
Eg. If machine is in State 1 and recieves Input 1, it will produce Output 1 and go into state 2

Putnam claims that mental states are simply machine table states
Eg. A mental state such as being in pain can be described by a set of states adn range of inputs within a MT
Anything that can recieve the inputs and have the same states as MT has the relevant mental state

Question 4

What is the inverted Qualia argument

Answer 4

Aims to disprove functionalism by claiming phenomenal properties cannot be understood in terms of functions if we can show two people have states with identical functions but different phenomenal properties

Eg. two people learn to look at tomatos and grass, and learn to associate red with T and green with G
But the way tomatos seem to person 1 is the same way grass seems to person 2 and vice versa

This means that two people are functionally identical (the way grass looks to both people is the same as they are caused by the same input “green”

But they have different colour experience, meaning they aren’t identical intrinsically as they refer to different qualia, making functionalism false

Question 5

China brain

Answer 5

Aims to show that functionalism is false as there is more to mental states than a functional role
P1-A body hooked to entirety of china
P2-Every person in china is linked to others through radios
P3-They communicate through rules through functional mental states
P4-Some people are linked to the outputs of the body
(scenario is meant to replicate human brain)
According to functionalism, china brain would be in pain given the input (stab) but this is false
Just because chna brain is functionally identical to human pain, doesnt mean its actually in pain, making functionalism false