Philosphy Flashcards
identity theory
Thoughts and feelings are made of electrical impulses in the brain. Happiness equals one material process and sadness another. The theory believes that feelings can be proven to correspond with specifik material processes in the brain.
However, it lacks evidence. Jealousy, for instance, is difficult to prove have a correspondence in the brain.
Functionalism 1926
Doesn’t try to explain what feelings and thoughts are made of, but defines them from their functional role- their part in a chain of cause and effects. Pain, for example, is a physical effects that causes humans and animals to think and choose a special way to act. Computers can undergo the same process, and in a functionalistic sense are close to humans in terms of consciousness.
However, according to Searle, mental phenomena such as pain and understanding can’t be defined by function, because it doesn’t assure that it actually understands.
Emergent interactionism
Consciousness emerges when several parts of the brain come together and become complex enough. In other words, each part, on their own, doesn’t create consciousness. This means that even if you have deep understanding of consciousness and it’s parts it’s still not possible to predict it being created. Regarding ai, it doesn’t give any answer, because it focuses on biological matter. It could however be speculated that once computers become advanced enough a consciousness is created.
Thought: if technology advances and we build robots, capable of feeling senses, along with an hyper-intelligent ai, is that the foundation for consciousness according to emergent interactionsm?
consciousness
Feeling and thoughts. What are they made of? materialism? abstract? Computers are fast, but limited.
other minds
how do you find out that other people has thought and feelings?
reasoning by analogi
In order to learn about peoples internal state we can draw assumptions from things they do. In order to know what specifik things mean, such as how to react to a body part itching, we base our knowledge on our own experience.
You utilize the fact the two fact have similarities and draw conclusions.
It can become uncertain depending on how much you know about the similarities and how much they actually are interrelated with the unknown fact. Someone can have a disease that gives itching rashes, however you may not see it.
Wittgenstein
Contradicts reasoning by analogi, says it’s the other way around. We learn about ourselves from others. For example, when babies hurt themselves.
Ayer
Criticizes Wittgenstein, and says that it doesn’t have to be people to learn about yourself. For example, if you grow up with robots that are programmed to react as a human, you will end up the same.
Overall
Feminist perspective of view. There is an underlying consent of other entities consciousness. The challenge is proving that it is not. Criticizes earlier methods because they derive from a male perspective, in which there is a feeling of isolation, which creates the need to prove consciousness.
Sensory experience
Knowledge through experiencing something with your senses.
Rule utilitarianism
How is a fair society achieved? Utilitarianism is the belief that a fair society strives to achieve the max amount of happiness in every decision made, specific to the situation. Governments can’t take decisions in specific cases, so the effects of general laws are the ones that count.
Lots of flaws. Assumes that it is possible to know how the laws affect the individual. Also assumes that it’s possible to compare the happiness achieved in between people (since in some cases the laws cause both happiness and unhappiness). It can also contradict our moral sense, for example if a person is let out of jail.
the greatest happiness principle
implies that we should take decisions that produce the greatest amount of happiness for the entire world, instead of for the individual self.
probable outcome
Important term in ethics, when using the utilitarian belief, in order to determine which outcome produces the greatest amount of happiness.
Kantian ethics 1724 - 1804
A pliktetiker, contradicts the belief that an action that is done with moral in mind can’t be moral. Kant believes that the rule of what is moral and not comes from whether the person is acting according to their plikt, duty. However, Kant also believes in practical reason, which helps a person interpret the moral law. Kant believes in hypothetical imperatives, which are rules you have to follow to get/ achieve normal things, such as catching the buss. There is also the categorical imperative.
Categorical imperative
Kant. Moral rules, which are more important to follow than hypothetical imperative. They apply to everyone and there can be no exceptions. “Would this be okay if it was a universal law?”. If it collides with other moral laws, it can’t be applied.
