Qualia

Question 1 and 2. Jackson’s knowledge argument is based on physicalism. In this document, he argues about even if you know about the conscious experience that brings about you but you would still be missing that information. This means that whatever that happens in the brain deep to the neuron, when sees red color it can produce the red experience of that color. But physicalist theory of mind would not be able to explain all the facts that account for it. Here in this article knowledge argument…

functionalism is and its relation to dualism, materialism and mind-brain identity theory. From here I will outline the two key objections it faces namely the extra-cranial objection or china brain thought experiment and the qualia objection. I will state and explain why the qualia objection is the most serious of the two and why functionalism at present can not fully overcome it but in doing so I will address the replies functionalism gives as defence against this. Functionalism Functionalism…

although it may remain a “subjective experience” it holds physical characteristics that support the functionalist theory. The inverted spectrum is a hypothetical concept that some people have a qualia which is symmetrically different for the colours in which other people see. It is considered an inverted qualia. It is unusual neural ‘wiring’; the retinal stimulation is systematically wired and induces light of any given wavelength which then generates one’s visual cortex the same way our…

The knowledge argument, developed by Philosopher Frank Jackson, poses a counter example to the physicalist perspective. Because both arguments are based on examples and thesis rather than facts and data, it is imperative to examine and understand both sides before making any judgements. Because both arguments are largely based on perspective and opinion, we will examine the various aspects of both Jackson’s knowledge argument through his example of Mary as well as the physicalist perspective and…

Alfred North Whitehead—a prominent mathematician and philosophical figure of the twentieth century, once said: “All western philosophy is comprised of footnotes to Plato.” Indeed, Plato has such grandly significant influence that many of his notions still exist until today. One of his works—The Republic: Book VII, has become a classic read that anyone who is familiar with philosophy is familiar with. The book, well known as “Allegory of the Cave,” articulates the fact that humans do not…

What is functionalism? The Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy defines it as “Functionalism is a theory about the nature of mental states. […] mental states are identified by what they do rather than by what they are made of.” It is a way of defining consciousness that can account for both problems of mental causation and multiple realization which seemed to be problematic in two other definitions of Behaviourism and Identity Theory. The pros and cons of the theory revolve around the questions…

Memory is much more than behavior or brain states and the analogy of memory as a notebook fails to account for qualia and intentionality in our memories. Though far from a perfect theory, I propose that memory is an epiphenomenal by product of the physical processes of encoding, storage, and retrieval processes that involve synaptic pathways in the mind. As such…

Introduction to Philosophy (U73100) Title of essay: Is the Mind/Brain identity theory a defensible position? In this essay I will show that the mind/brain identity theory is the only logically defensible position when it comes to the mind/body problem. To do this I will be looking at the most popular arguments and positions concerning the mind body problem. I will begin by discussing what is meant by the term 'mind body problem', the mind body problem is a philosophical issue concerning…

3) While Cartesian dualism says that there are two different mental and physical entities that make up the mind, functionalism argues that the brain is an independent entity. Functionalism says that the brain – a singular entity – contains two kinds of properties, mental and physical. Thus, it is a form of dualism in the sense that there are two different things in play, yet only one physical entity which these properties reside in. It solves the causal relation problem that Cartesian dualism…

of quite different kinds” This view contradicts Lewis’s view that brain states and mental states are identical by showing that they are in fact not identical at all and thus cannot be the same. Another problem the identity theory must overcome is Qualia – which Daniel Dennet said “was the ways things can seem to us” Here he is talking about the subjective experience. So while type identity theorist would say that listening to music would result in your brain processing it and you having a…