Philosophy Flashcards
The Turing Test
1) If a machine passes the Turing test then it can think
2) No machine can think. A machine that passes the Turing test can only simulate thought
3) If a machine passes the Turing test, then that provides us with good reason to believe that it can think
The Conceivability Argument
1) If I can conceive of some state of affairs without contradiction, then that state of affairs is possible
2) I can conceive of myself as existing without my body
Therefore
3) It is possible for me to exist without my body
Hence,
4) I am distinct from my body
Arnauld’s Objection to Conceivability
Just because you can conceive of some state of affairs, does not show that the state of affairs is possible
(Use the triangle example)
The Computational Theory of Mind
The mind is just a computer, and mental activity is just computational activity
The Chinese Room Argument
(argument against the computational theory of mind)
1) Syntax is not sufficient for semantics
2) Minds have semantics
3) Computer programs are entirely defined by their formal syntactical structure
Therefore,
4) A program by itself is never sufficient for having a mind
Problems with behaviorism: Pain
Super-spartans
Behaviorism
The doctrine that mental states are simply behavioral dispositions
(A behavioral disposition is a tendency to exhibit certain types of behavior under certain circumstances)
Skepticism about Other Minds
1) Lies, self-deceptions, misunderstandings
2) Systematic Deception (The Truman Show)
3) Zombies, automata
The Dreaming Argument
If you can’t know that you are not dreaming, then you can’t know anything about the external world on the basis of perception
You can’t know that you are not dreaming, therefore you can’t know anything about the external world on the basis of perception
Epistemology
The study of human knowledge and human justification
Skepticism about the External World
1) Perceptual Error (illusions, hallucinations, etc)
2) The dreaming argument (suggests I can’t know anything about the external world on the basis of perception)
3) The evil demon (calls the very existence of the external world into question)
Modes Ponens
If P, then Q
P therefore Q
The Ontological Argument
1) I can conceive of a perfect deity
2) A deity that exists is more perfect than a deity that does not exist
Therefore
3) The deity that I am conceiving of exists
Objections to Dualsim
1) Dualism is too mysterious
2) Smullyan’s Parable
3) The Continuity of Nature
Epiphenomenalism
The doctrine that one’s mind exerts no causal impact upon one’s body
Materialism
The doctrine that everything that exists is physical (material)
Consciousness
The qualitative aspect of experience (what is is like)
Is widely regarded as the single most difficult and intractable problem in contemporary philosophy
Cartesian Dualism
The doctrine that thinking beings possess immaterial souls entirely distinct from their physical bodies
Metaphysics
Studies the nature, construction, and structure of reality
The Systems reply
The person might not understand Chinese, but the SYSTEM as a WHOLE does
The robot reply
Syntactic manipulation does not by itself give rise to semantics
Causal interaction with the world is also needed for semantics
But this is consistent with the computational theory of mind
valid argument
An argument where the premise entails the conclusion. If you accept the premises, then you have no choice but to accept the conclusion.
invalid argument
Where the premise doesn’t entail the conclusion
Epistemic vs practical reasons
Practical: think of Pascal’s Wager, makes practical sense
Epistemic: Believing that it will rain because that’s what the weather forecast said
cogito, ergo sum
I think therefore I am
god no deceiver
Argument against skepticism about the external world: Descartes says that God is perfect and would not let us be led astray
metaphysical possibility
A really existing principle that exists outside of our minds making some activity possible
the amnesia argument
1) Suppose I have amnesia
2) I can conceive of a world in which I exist, but Elizabeth Danielson does not exist
Therefore,
3) It is possible for me to exist without Elizabeth Danielson existing
But,
4) It is not possible for Elizabeth Danielson to exist without Elizabeth Danielson existing
Hence, (Be Leibniz’s law),
5) I am not Elizabeth Danielson
causal overdetermination
Every physical event has a physical cause. But if the movement also has a mental cause, then the movement would be causally overdetermined
occasionalism
Whenever you decide to make some voluntary movement of your body, God takes this as an occassion to move your body
pre-established harmony
God created two universes: the mental and the physical. They develop according to their own internal principles. But there exists a pre-established harmony so that there is an appearance of causal interaction between the two.
monism
denies the existence of a distinction (like between mind and body)
the mary argument
1) Mary knows all the physical facts concerning human color vision before leaving the black and white room
2) But there are some facts about human color vision that Mary does not know before leaving the black and white room
Therefore,
3) There are non-physical facts concerning human color vision
blockhead
computer that simulates intelligence by being programed to respond to any number of things like a human
