Questions tagged [philosophy-of-mind]
Philosophy of mind is a branch of philosophy that studies the nature of the mind, mental events, mental functions, mental properties, consciousness, and their relationship to the physical body, particularly the brain.
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What is the solution to the problem of other minds? [duplicate]
Can you explain which solution to the problem of other minds is the best.
As I understand it, the best explanation argument is the best solution to the problem of other minds.
It is written here: ...
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What argument in favor of other minds is relevant now? [duplicate]
As far as I understand the best explanation argument is the best argument for the existence of other minds, but I don't understand what is meant here: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/other-minds/#...
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is there a possibility that mind still exists after death?
The link between brain activity and qualia is unexplained. But most people think the former causes the latter.
What if its the other way, that our mind creates the external universe?
This does not ...
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Consequences of thinking nobody is like one's self [closed]
I was wondering if anyone has pondered what the consequences might be of thinking that nobody is like one's self?
Thanks.
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There is no knowledge so certain that no one can doubt it [closed]
Thoughts? Just something to think about!
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Could there be a better explanation for other people's behavior?
Can there be a better explanation of other people's behavior than that offered by the best explanation argument?
The argument says that the best explanation for the behavior we observe in other people ...
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What is the future of the argument of the best explanation for the existence of other minds? [closed]
I read it here: What is meant by the behavior of other people in argument?
"It has the obvious drawback that the real explanation might not have been considered yet"
As far as I understand ...
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What are the main arguments that emergence-based theories of consciousness can't solve the hard problem of consciousness?
Ever since reading Douglas Hofstadter's Gödel, Escher, Bach as a teenager I've been fascinated by the idea that consciousness is an emergent property of physical systems. Roughly the claim is that ...
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Is objectivity necessary for anything beside communication?
By "subjective", I mean something that occurs only in a single mind and cannot be shared even in principle. A common example is pain. You cannot feel someone else's pain. You might observe ...
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Proving the existence of God [duplicate]
I was wondering whether anyone has done, or attempted to do, any work, trying to prove the existence of God. If so, scary works such work be centered about, what would it do, or consist of, or what ...
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How might a decision be defined if it is to be defined as something other than an act (a 'thing done')?
This question represents the second I have asked in relation to an argument I posted here approximately a year ago, which aims at a proof for the impossibility of free will.
It is inappropriate to ...
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Belief, in 'divine madness'
Theia mania (Ancient Greek: θεία μανία) is a term used by Plato in his dialogue Phaedrus to describe a condition of divine madness (unusual behavior attributed to the intervention of a God).
Do ...
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What did Anscombe dislike about "The Concept of Mind"?
In the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy it says
Anecdotal evidence (thanks to David Pears) is that Elizabeth Anscombe
was scathing about The Concept of Mind when it was published.
I find this ...
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The person in the Chinese Room Argument is a strong AI
For those who don't know, here is a description of the Chinese Room Argument.
The argument is essentially that even if an AI may give the impression of being intelligent because they answer questions ...
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What is meant by the behavior of other people in argument?
What is meant by the behavior of other people in the best explanation argument?
What is included in the behavior of other people?
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/other-minds/#BestExpl
How does the ...
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When it may be said that a fetus is a living creature and thus has rights that may collide with his mother's rights?
I used to believe that every pregnant woman should have a right to undergo an abortion - but when contemplated over it I realized that I also think of situations where the fetus is no older than a few ...
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Can the laws of physics rule out disembodied minds?
In this article, philosopher Evan Fales argues that the laws of physics establish that disembodied minds (such as an immaterial God, for example) could not influence the physical world. Is it true?
(...
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What methods have been proposed to identify sentience in an AI?
It is in the news that google has suspended a software engineer for violating confidentiality policies after sought "outside consultation" over concerns the AI he was working on is sentient. ...
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What would Panpsychist Mary learn, and how would she learn it?
Frank Jackson's "Mary the Neuroscientist" thought experiment, from his "Epiphenomenal Qualia" paper, has been continually debated since its publication in 1982, and appears to be a ...
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Will I be considered rude if I make this statement? [closed]
Suppose I am working in private or government sector in a senior role. During evaluation of work by a junior colleague who happens to be a young woman, I find that the official is not upright, is ...
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Justification versus mental causation
A justification: "we know A is true because B is true."
A mental causation: "I concluded A because first I believed B and that led me to A."
There is certainly a strong ...
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What is metaphysical contingency?
I have always thought is something is metaphysically contingent is simply means that something, a state of affairs, MAY be the case. Tomorrow I may stub my foot on a nail and feel pain. This ...
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Honesty vs. Bluntness
In both professional and personal life, we tend to meet people who can be quite blunt in being honest. I do not have any historical example to support this claim but it probably happens, mostly in ...
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Philosophy of religion
Buddhism is sometimes compared to solipsism.
Discussions on this topic can be found on the Internet. I do not understand why Buddhism is sometimes compared to solipsism.
As far as I know, in all ...
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Language, thought, cognition
Are thoughts distinct from natural language and if so how can 'thought' be defined so this might be established if it is in fact the case?
I am asking in response to a question elsewhere in 'Stack' ...
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Will implementing counter-intuitive features and working on legacy code affect your skill? [closed]
A problem I've had professionally a lot since I've started is that most of the feature/update recommendations I have when developing an application come from upper/middle management, people who have ...
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Difference between objectivity of space and colour
Color is mind dependent. Is space and time also mind dependent? Like does space really exist (locally, for GR) like how we see/imagine?
Their existence might be objective, I'm not denying that. I'm ...
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Is there a biological description of "chakras" or is the concept of "chakras" mere pseudoscience?
It is widely claimed that we have many chakras(7 major chakras) situated at different locations along the spinal cord. Each of the chakras is said to be associated with certain energy channels, the ...
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What is consciousness? Is it the ultimate reality of our universe? What implications do the various theories of consciousness have on human life?
Does a child has more consciousness associated with her or her adult form?
What about her foetus? If her foetus is not yet properly developed (it has just accumulated a bit more mass and complexity ...
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Does modern science and physics support solipsism?
Does modern physics and science support solipsism?
Does modern physics and science have any evidence that solipsism is true?
Do physicists and scientists support solipsism?
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PhilPapers Survey 2020, Why do so many physicalists deny consciousness of future AI systems?
According to PhilPapers Survey from 2020 there are 239 philosophers who identify as accepting or leaning towards Physicalism and yet reject consciousness of future AI.
To me this seems very puzzling, ...
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Does a phenomenal experience require conscious awareness, or simply unconscious sensation?
If a tree is experienced lying on the forest floor, did it come into existence when experienced, or did something cause it to lie there?
This question is all about the division between phenomenal, ...
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How is the study of consciousness (as a discipline) differs from philosophy of mind, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience?
I recently come across books on the study of consciousness per se which seems to use a multidisciplinary approach similar to how cognitive science was studied about 30 years ago (being a joint effort ...
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Gods from the perspective of animals
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and
let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of
the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, ...
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How can non-existence be caused?
If something didn't exist and came to exist at some point; it will cease to exist at some point. Things come from non-existence and return to the non-existence they came from so how can "non-...
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Can minds be uploaded in computers?
The idea runs around of loading minds up in computers. It's a recurring theme in SF culture and thought about the technological possibilities in the future. We can read on Wikipedia:
Mind uploading, ...
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Does knowledge require consciousness?
Does knowledge require consciousness for the entity that knows? In other words, is it the case that only conscious entities can know things? I was led to ask this question by considering whether or ...
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Help with intentional instantiation in "The nature and plausibility of Cognitivism"
When the computer-based chess player is explained [1], the bottom level components of the chess playing heirarchy are intentionally instantiated by list processors.
My question is this, doesn't ...
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If immoral things shouldn't be done, how come people feel good committing them?
"The forbidden fruit is the sweetest". When we teach someone that something is immoral, the immoral thing becomes appealing to them. People want the things they can't have, so what's the ...
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Must beliefs be consciously entertained?
In discussing the Innate Knowledge Thesis in the article titled Rationalism vs Empiricism in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, there appears to be a discrepancy (emphasis mine).
A serious ...
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What is meant by artistic qualities and Can anyone point out some of these qualities?
What is meant by artistic qualities? Can anyone point out some of these qualities?
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Are all concepts definable? [duplicate]
You open a dictionary and all the words are defined by other words. If concepts have the same circularity as words, ultimately none would have meaning (I suppose that's debatable, but I'm assuming it ...
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Why do I doubt my instincts and instead take a wrong decision for that task or situation though the answer or solution or strategy is within my reach?
I choose my instincts when doing something, but I doubt it and then do something else or something opposite. When reflecting back on it, I realize that my instincts were true. In short, why do I doubt ...
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What can be the cause for this mess I'm or the road to insanity I am on? Or is it that I am insane or with an unsound mind? [closed]
Why do I keep questioning myself; my mind and brain keep unfolding questions regarding my behaviour, constantly questioning my behaviour and intentions. Indefinitely doubt every bit and the part about ...
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Are my thoughts just chemical reactions?
I've always learnt that life is nothing but a set of biological processes that emerge from various complex chemical reactions.
Everything in biology can be expressed in terms of various chemical ...
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What is a "disorder"?
The is-ought gap makes it so we can not derive an ought from an is, correct? Without teleology, how can there be such a thing as a "disorder" or "disability"? The word "...
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I need help understanding Ayer's "Other Minds"
In The problem of Knowledge Chap V, Ayer states:
...if someone asks me whether I am in pain and I answer that I am, my reply, as I understand it, is not an answer to his question. For I am reporting ...
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Debate about Free Will [closed]
I had this debate with someone about whether or not we have free will or are we determined and my argument was we are determined because of how we are constructed by nature basically we haven't chosen ...
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What are the best Arguments against solipsism?
I am afraid that only my consciousness exists. That basically my consciousness simulates my body and the entire world. Please help me.
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Should one learn everything?
I like to learn a lot of things. Like dance , magic tricks , business , physics , geography , chemistry , biology , maths. Just everything. Definitely , you understand that all of these topics take ...
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