MOM- physicalism functionalism

Question 1

25 mark plan:
assess claim mental states r functional states

Answer 1

intro: functionalism is wrong
define: functionalism

argument for: multiple reliability

response: inverted qualia

response to response: inverted quill impossible to prove

argument against2: china brain

argument against3: knowledge argument

conclusion: there is more to mental states than their functional roles (namely quaila) so functionalism is wrong.

Question 2

what’s functionalisms definition

Answer 2

Defines mental states as functional roles in an organism

Question 3

what’s the functional role of pain

Answer 3

pain causes unpleasant sensation > causes use to want the sensation to stop > causes the organism to get away from the thing that’s causing harm.

Question 4

how to functionalism differ to behaviourism

Answer 4

• behaviourism talks only of input and outputs
  -functionalism talks of inputs, mental states and outputs.
• functionalism says part of the function of pain is to cause OTHER (internal) mental states.

Question 5

who argues for functionalism
(TNOMS)

Answer 5

Hilary Putman

Question 6

what was putmans argument

Answer 6

THe nature of mental states
Argues, “being in pain is a functional state of the organism.”
& argues this analysis of mental states is superior to both type identity theory + behaviourism

Question 7

what’s Putmans argument against type identity theory called

Answer 7

Multiple realisability of mental states.

Question 8

What’s the Multiple reliability argument from Putman

Answer 8

very short version of MR:
pain can be experienced by a human, an octopus or an alien- but these things all have different physical structures (c-fibres, O-fibres) = suggests pain is not any single physical property.

> analogous to a knife: metal, plastic, wooden as long as it performs same functions (cut things).

so rather than analysing mental states in terms of physical characteristics (c-fibres) says pain are functional states within cognitive system.

this can be used as an argument FOR functionalism

Question 9

who argued against behaviourism

Answer 9

PUTMAN

Question 10

what’s the functionalist argument against behaviourism put forward by Putman

Answer 10

P argues behaviourism fails as a theory of mind because it is CIRCULAR

Question 11

explain Putmans argument against behaviourism

Answer 11

-beh is restricted to identifying mental states solely in terms of behavioural dispositions. >Problem when we realise that the same mental state can be realised by pretty much any behaviour.

Example of above: pain > say “ouch”. but doesn’t work when you also have the mental state of not wanting to look like a wimp.

Question 12

Explain how functionalism avoids the argument against behaviourism

Answer 12

the function of mental states is more than simply to cause behaviours - mental states can also cause other mental states.

e.g. Pain> causes MS BELIEF im in pain > MS DESIRE for pain to stop.
the behaviour my mental states cause depends on my other mental states.

F AVOIDS tying mental states to specific behaviours + thus doesn’t end up having to give circular explanations of how a person can be in pain whereas behaviourism does.

OVERALL: behaviourism takes too narrow a view in associating specific mental states with specific behaviours, whereas functionalism acknowledges MS can be realised by multiple behaviours.

Question 13

what’s the responses to functionalism

Answer 13

inverted spectrum
zombies
knowledge argument
china brain

Question 14

what’s the response inverted spectrum in argument structure

Answer 14

1.functonalism says mental states r functional states.
2. if functionalism is true then 2 functionally identical mental states are the same mental state.
3. my mental state when I look at green grass is functionally identical to yours phenomenally different.
4.therefore, our 2 mental states are nit the same mental state despite being functionally identicle.
c. therefore functionalism is false.

Question 15

zombie argument in response to functionalism

Answer 15

-same from dualism
-one person has normal quaila and zombie has none.
-zombies mental states would be functionally identical to normal human mental state.
-however despite being functionally identical, the zombies mental state is clearly not the same as normal humans mental state: lacks qualia.
Thus functionalism is false because u can have 2 different mental states that are functionally identical.