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 their potential responses to Jackson’s claims. Before diving into the different views, its important to understand what Jackson’s knowledge argument looks like, although it will be discussed in greater detail later on, the argument goes as follows:
1) Mary knows all the physical facts concerning color perception (prior to seeing color)
2) There …show more content…
A physicalist believes that any mental state, such as emotions or disorders, can be understood and explained in entirety by simply examining the physical brain. Physicalists accept that everything in the universe falls within the realm of the physical, for this reason they “hold that complete physical knowledge is complete knowledge” (291). The main difference between physicalism and its easily-confused counterpart, materialism, is that physicalism holds a wider definition of what it means to be physical. According to Jackson, physicalism includes “everything in completed physics, chemistry and neurophysiology” rather than materialism’s belief that everything is tied to a material interaction (291). In other words, physicalism maintains that if knowledge of the physical world is understood completely, there is nothing else that we can learn. Physicalism teaches that the entire universe coincided at a physical state, for this reason they insist that the premise should be accepted without
1) Mary knows all the physical facts concerning color perception (prior to seeing color)
2) There …show more content…
A physicalist believes that any mental state, such as emotions or disorders, can be understood and explained in entirety by simply examining the physical brain. Physicalists accept that everything in the universe falls within the realm of the physical, for this reason they “hold that complete physical knowledge is complete knowledge” (291). The main difference between physicalism and its easily-confused counterpart, materialism, is that physicalism holds a wider definition of what it means to be physical. According to Jackson, physicalism includes “everything in completed physics, chemistry and neurophysiology” rather than materialism’s belief that everything is tied to a material interaction (291). In other words, physicalism maintains that if knowledge of the physical world is understood completely, there is nothing else that we can learn. Physicalism teaches that the entire universe coincided at a physical state, for this reason they insist that the premise should be accepted without