Philosophy of Mind: Dualism

First slideshow for a course called Mind and Machine.

Transcript

1. Dualism Philosophy of mind, part 1 George Matthews CC 2017
2. questions about minds & machines
3. questions about minds & machines metaphysical
4. questions about minds & machines metaphysical What kind of a thing is a mind anyway?
5. questions about minds & machines metaphysical What kind of a thing is a mind anyway? Could a machine have a mind?
6. questions about minds & machines metaphysical What kind of a thing is a mind anyway? Could a machine have a mind? How can we be free in a world of causes?
7. questions about minds & machines epistemological
8. questions about minds & machines epistemological How do I know that you are not a mindless robot?
9. questions about minds & machines epistemological How do I know that you are not a mindless robot? How might we tell whether a machine is really intelligent and not just faking it?
10. questions about minds & machines epistemological How do I know that you are not a mindless robot? How might we tell whether a machine is really intelligent and not just faking it? What is it like to be a bat?
11. questions about minds & machines value theoretical
12. questions about minds & machines value theoretical What is it about having a mind that makes me responsible for my own actions?
13. questions about minds & machines value theoretical What is it about having a mind that makes me responsible for my own actions? Is it right to allow the on-board computer to make life or death decisions?
14. questions about minds & machines value theoretical What is it about having a mind that makes me responsible for my own actions? Is it right to allow the on-board computer to make life or death decisions? Might automation perpetuate injustice?
15. “Thinking meat! You are asking me to believe in thinking meat!” “Yes, thinking meat! Conscious meat! Loving meat! Dreaming meat!” Terry Bisson, “They’re Made Out of Meat”
16. the mind/body problem
17. the mind/body problem bodies minds
18. the mind/body problem bodies ! take up space minds
19. the mind/body problem bodies ! take up space minds ! do not take up space
20. the mind/body problem bodies ! take up space ! divisible minds ! do not take up space
21. the mind/body problem bodies ! take up space ! divisible minds ! do not take up space ! indivisible
22. the mind/body problem bodies ! take up space ! divisible ! causation by contact minds ! do not take up space ! indivisible
23. the mind/body problem bodies ! take up space ! divisible ! causation by contact minds ! do not take up space ! indivisible ! causation by association and logic
24. the mind/body problem bodies ! take up space ! divisible ! causation by contact ! public access minds ! do not take up space ! indivisible ! causation by association and logic
25. the mind/body problem bodies ! take up space ! divisible ! causation by contact ! public access minds ! do not take up space ! indivisible ! causation by association and logic ! private access
26. the mind/body problem bodies ! take up space ! divisible ! causation by contact ! public access minds ! do not take up space ! indivisible ! causation by association and logic ! private access How can these two different “worlds” be related?
27. What is the place of minds in a physical universe?
28. What is the place of minds in a physical universe? ! Dualism: They have no place, minds are not material things.
29. What is the place of minds in a physical universe? ! Dualism: They have no place, minds are not material things. ! Behaviorism: Minds are what smart creatures do.
30. What is the place of minds in a physical universe? ! Dualism: They have no place, minds are not material things. ! Behaviorism: Minds are what smart creatures do. ! Mind-Brain Identity Theory: Minds are just brains.
31. What is the place of minds in a physical universe? ! Dualism: They have no place, minds are not material things. ! Behaviorism: Minds are what smart creatures do. ! Mind-Brain Identity Theory: Minds are just brains. ! Functionalism: Minds are sets of functions running in brains or other machines.
32. Descartes’ Argument
33. Descartes’ Argument I can easily conceive of minds and bodies as separate from one another, since they share no features in common.
34. Descartes’ Argument I can easily conceive of minds and bodies as separate from one another, since they share no features in common. Thus minds and bodies are in fact distinct.
35. An Argument from Ignorance?
36. An Argument from Ignorance? I can easily conceive of the causes of bodies falling on earth and the planets in the sky as separate from one another, since they share no features in common.
37. An Argument from Ignorance? I can easily conceive of the causes of bodies falling on earth and the planets in the sky as separate from one another, since they share no features in common. Thus these causes are in fact distinct.
38. The interaction problem
39. The interaction problem If minds and bodies are such different kinds of things how can they possibly interact?
40. The interaction problem If minds and bodies are such different kinds of things how can they possibly interact? Descartes’ solution.
41. Category mistakes
42. Category mistakes All I see around me are rocks, sand, lizards and cactus, but I still can’t find the desert.
43. Category mistakes All I see around me are rocks, sand, lizards and cactus, but I still can’t find the desert. The team’s record got worse and worse after our team spirit quit.
44. Category mistakes All I see around me are rocks, sand, lizards and cactus, but I still can’t find the desert. The team’s record got worse and worse after our team spirit quit. I’ve looked carefully at my thinking and experiences but still can’t find my mind.
45. Our Puzzle What IS the place of minds in a physical universe?