PHIL 212 Study Guide - Comprehensive Final Exam Guide - Thought Experiment, Structural Functionalism, Qualia

• School: Duke University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHIL 212
• Professor: Max Beninger

Document Summary

Philosophy of mind 8. 29. 17 lecture notes cartesian dualism. Problem of mental representation: how can my thoughts represent (be about) objects. Physicalism/materialism: the view that the mind is part of the physical world. Dualism: the view that the mind is not part of the physical world it is something extra that extends beyond the realm of physics. Mental state: any sort of mental happening: ex: beliefs, desires, pains, itches, the experience of seeing red, etc. Two kinds of substances physical substances and mental substances: the body is a physical substance, the mind is a mental substance (something like a soul, they can still causally interact with one another. Minds exist out of the physical universe do(cid:374)"t e(cid:448)e(cid:374) take up spa(cid:272)e. Descartes imagines a sort of separate mental, non-material realm existing alongside the physical universe. Mental/physical interaction: can causally interact with one another. Immaterial thoughts can cause physical body to do things.