Physicalism

What does physicalism assert?

• Everything is physical.

• Everything is physical or supervenes on the physical.

• Everything is dependent upon the physical.

What is Hempel's "hard" behaviourism"?

• All propositions about mental states can be reduced to propositions that use the language of physics to talk about bodily states.

• Propositions about mental states are propositions about dispositions.

• All mental states are identical to brain states.

What is Ryle's "soft" behaviourism?

• All propositions about mental states can be reduced to propositions that use the language of physics to talk about bodily states.

• Propositions about mental states are propositions about dispositions.

• All mental states are identical to brain states.

Mind-brain type identity theory says...

• All propositions about mental states can be reduced to propositions that use the language of physics to talk about bodily states.

• Propositions about mental states are propositions about dispositions.

• All mental states are identical to brain states.

Eliminative materialism is the theory that...

• All mental states are identical to brain states.

• Some or all of the mental states/properties mentioned in everyday conversation don't exist.

• Phenomenal properties are intrinsic, not extrinsic properties of experience.

"Supervene" means...

• to come between.

• to come together.

• to come after or on top of.

"Identity" means...

• ...something is the same thing as something else.

• ... something is linked to something else.

• ... some things happening concurrently.

Putnam's objection, that mental properties are not identical to physical properties because the same mental properties can relate to or supervene on different physical properties, is an objection to...

• Paul Churchland's folk psychology argument.

• Descartes' indivisibility argument.

• Smart's type identity argument.

The example of caloric fluid is used to explain...

• ...elimination.

• ... reduction.

• ...supervenience.

Which of these theories focus on metaphysics?

• Mind-brain type identity theory

• Eliminative materialism

• Philosophical behaviourism