What is the difference between reductive materialism and eliminative materialism?

Reductive materialism and eliminative materialism are two contrasting philosophical positions within the field of philosophy of mind. While both theories attempt to explain the nature of the mind and its relationship to the physical world, they differ in their approach and conclusions.

1. Reductive Materialism:
Reductive materialism, also known as type identity theory or token physicalism, asserts that mental states and processes can ultimately be reduced to or identified with physical states and processes. According to this view, mental phenomena, such as thoughts, emotions, and consciousness, are nothing more than complex arrangements of physical matter and can be fully explained by the laws of physics and neuroscience.

The key idea behind reductive materialism is that mental states are identical to specific brain states. For example, the experience of pain can be reduced to a specific pattern of neural firing in the brain. This reductionist approach suggests that mental states are not separate entities but rather can be fully understood and explained in terms of physical properties.

2. Eliminative Materialism:
Eliminative materialism, on the other hand, takes a more radical stance by arguing that our common-sense understanding of mental states and processes is fundamentally flawed and should be eliminated from scientific discourse. This view asserts that our everyday mental concepts, such as beliefs, desires, and intentions, do not accurately capture the true nature of the mind.

Eliminative materialists argue that as scientific understanding of the brain and cognitive processes advances, our current mental vocabulary will be replaced by a more accurate and comprehensive scientific language. They claim that our folk psychology, which relies on mental concepts, is based on outdated and inaccurate theories and should be discarded in favor of a more scientific and neuroscientific approach.

In summary, the main difference between reductive materialism and eliminative materialism lies in their respective attitudes towards mental states and processes. Reductive materialism seeks to explain mental phenomena in terms of physical properties, while eliminative materialism rejects our current understanding of the mind and advocates for a complete overhaul of our mental concepts.