Philosophy Identity Theory Questions Long
Eliminative materialism is a philosophical position within the framework of Identity Theory that argues for the rejection or elimination of certain mental concepts and terms from our understanding of the mind. It challenges the traditional view that mental states and processes can be fully explained and understood in terms of physical states and processes.
Identity Theory, also known as Type Identity Theory, posits that mental states are identical to certain brain states. According to this theory, mental states such as beliefs, desires, and sensations are not separate entities but rather are identical to specific patterns of neural activity in the brain. In other words, mental states are reducible to physical states.
Eliminative materialism, on the other hand, takes a more radical stance by claiming that our current understanding of mental states is fundamentally flawed and that many of the concepts and terms we use to describe mental phenomena are simply incorrect or misleading. It argues that as our scientific knowledge advances, we will eventually discover that our current mental vocabulary is inadequate and needs to be replaced.
The proponents of eliminative materialism argue that our everyday mental concepts, such as beliefs, desires, intentions, and emotions, do not accurately capture the underlying reality of the mind. They claim that these concepts are based on folk psychology, which is a set of intuitive and common-sense explanations of human behavior and mental states. However, they argue that folk psychology is a flawed and outdated theory that fails to provide an accurate account of the mind.
Instead, eliminative materialists propose that we should abandon or eliminate these folk psychological concepts and replace them with a more scientifically grounded understanding of the mind. They suggest that future scientific discoveries in neuroscience and cognitive science will provide us with a more accurate and comprehensive account of mental states and processes.
Eliminative materialism challenges the notion that mental states can be fully explained in terms of physical states. It argues that mental states are not simply reducible to brain states but rather involve complex and emergent properties that cannot be captured by our current scientific understanding. Therefore, it advocates for a radical reevaluation and revision of our conceptual framework for understanding the mind.
In summary, eliminative materialism is a position within Identity Theory that argues for the elimination of certain mental concepts and terms from our understanding of the mind. It challenges the traditional view that mental states can be fully explained in terms of physical states and proposes that our current mental vocabulary is inadequate and needs to be replaced with a more scientifically grounded understanding of the mind.