Philosophy of Mind

Key concepts in the philosophy of mind and consciousness

20 cards · philosophy

Cards (20)

Front	Back
Mind–Body Problem	How mind relates to brain and the physical world Central question of how mental phenomena connect with physical processes.
Substance Dualism	Mind and body are distinct, separable substances Descartes held that thinking substance is non-extended and distinct from matter.
Property Dualism	Mental properties are nonphysical properties of physical stuff One kind of substance, two kinds of properties—physical and mental.
Physicalism	Everything is physical; mental states are physical states Also called materialism; denies irreducible mental properties.
Type Identity Theory	Mental state types are identical to brain state types E.g., pain is a specific neural kind, not just any token occurrence.
Behaviorism	Mental states are behavioral dispositions Analyzes the mind in terms of observable behavior and tendencies.
Functionalism	Mental states are defined by their causal roles What matters is input–output role and relations to other states.
Multiple Realizability	Same mental state can be realized in different media Supports functionalism; minds could be implemented in silicon or biology.
Qualia	Subjective, felt qualities of experience The "what it’s like" aspect, such as the redness in seeing red.
Intentionality	Aboutness or directedness of mental states Beliefs and desires are about things; pains may lack aboutness.
The Hard Problem of Consciousness	Why physical processes give rise to experience Chalmers contrasts it with explaining cognitive and behavioral functions.
Knowledge Argument	Complete physical knowledge may omit facts about experience Suggests that knowing all physics doesn’t capture knowing what it’s like.
Mary’s Room	Color scientist learns something new upon seeing red Jackson’s thought experiment illustrating the knowledge argument.
Philosophical Zombies	Conceivable duplicates without conscious experience Used to argue that physicalism can’t explain consciousness fully.
Chinese Room	Syntax is not sufficient for semantics Searle argues symbol manipulation alone doesn’t yield understanding.
Epiphenomenalism	Mental events lack causal influence on the physical Mental states are byproducts; challenges accounts of mental causation.
Causal Closure of the Physical	Every physical event has a sufficient physical cause A key premise pressuring dualism and motivating physicalism.
Determinism	Every event is necessitated by prior states and laws If true, it raises questions about responsibility and freedom.
Compatibilism	Free will is compatible with determinism Freedom as acting from one’s reasons without external coercion.
Libertarianism	Free will requires indeterminism and agent causation An incompatibilist view affirming genuine alternative possibilities.