functionalism Flashcards
what is functionalism?
a theory of mind that argues mental states are defined by what they do, not by what they are mande of.
- it states that a mental state is any state that plays the functional role of pain - causing certain behaviours and responses
what is an example of functionalism?
pain is not just c-fibre activation in the brain; it is whatever causes a person to say ouch.
- this means that different physical systems (human, alien, ai) could all have the same mental states, as long as they perform the same functions
what is the strength that it solves the multiple realisability problem?
functionalism allows for different physical systems to have the same mental states.
- a dog or alien could experience pain as long as they have a system the processes pain in the same functional way as a human
this makes functionalism a more flexible and inclusive theory than identity theory
how is it supported by AI?
functionalism fits well with ai research because computers and robots could have mentla states if they function like a human brain
- neuroscientific research also shows that the brain is not fixed to ONE structure - if part of the brain is damaged, other areas can take over the same function (neuroplasticity)
how does it avoid dualism and physicalism?
it avoids dualism because it does not claim the mind is a seperate, non-physical substance
it avoids the limitations of physicalism by allowing for multiple ways mental states can exist without being tied to one type of physical material
what is the problem of qualia?
functionalism cannot explain qualia - the subjective experience of consciousness
- the chinese brain thought experience = imagine that each person in china acts like a neuron, communicating with others using radios. if they collectively function like a brain, does that mean china as a whole has a mind
this seems absurd, suggesting functionalism misses something important (the subjective experience)
what is the qualia problem of functionalism?
if two people call an object red, but one of them actually experiences it as what the other person would call green
- functionalism says their mental states are the same because they function the same way but their experiences are CLEARLY DIFFERENT which suggests that functionalism does not fully explain the nature of mental states
what is the chinese room argument?
functionalism suggests that if a system processes information in the right way, it has mental states
- the chinese room experiment = imagine a person in a locked room following rules to manipulate chinese symbols but without understanding their meaning - to an outside observer, the person seems to understand chinese but they don’t
this suggests that just following rules does not guarantee real understanding or consciousness
