Functionalism
Investigate the theory that mental states are defined not by their internal constitution, but by their causal roles in relation to sensory inputs, behavioural outputs, and other mental states.
About This Topic
Investigate the theory that mental states are defined not by their internal constitution, but by their causal roles in relation to sensory inputs, behavioural outputs, and other mental states.
Key Questions
- Explain how functionalism defines a mental state like 'pain'.
- Analyse how functionalism accommodates the principle of multiple realisability.
- Evaluate whether a functional duplicate of a human, such as in the China brain thought experiment, would genuinely have conscious mental states.
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