ARA19

.docx

School

Arizona State University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

101

Subject

Philosophy

Date

Feb 20, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

1

Uploaded by BailiffFogSquid33

Cla ssi fica tio n: Sch wa b Int ern al ARA19 1. Explain the mental state of boredom as a logical behaviorist would. The mental state of boredom would be explained as a set of behaviors or potential behaviors. For example, a person may yawn, fidget, or look around aimlessly when they are bored. These behaviors are observable and measurable which fits the behaviorists focus. The casual statement would be “Bob is fidgeting with his pen because he is bored” and this might be taken to mean “If there is a pen available to fidget with, Bob would fidget with it, and there is a pen available.” 2. On functionalism, could a machine be conscious? Cite the text to support and explain your answer. On functionalism, a machine could be conscious if it has the right functional organization, even if it is made of different material than a human brain. “… a machine… does not depend on the stuff the system is made of… but on how that stuff is organized. Functionalism does not rule out the possibility, however remote it may be, of mechanical and ethereal systems having mental states and processes” (Fodor, pg. 118). Since functionalism is a theory that argues that mental states are constituted by their functional role, meaning they are defined by their casual relations to other mental states, sensory inputs, and behavioral outputs, machines could be conscious. 3. In your own words, explain the discussion of the diamond and the mousetrap. Which of these two does functionalism say the mind is more like and why? The diamond and the mousetrap is a metaphor used to demonstrate the difference between structural and functional properties. A diamond has structural properties (hard, clear, and has a specific structure). A mousetrap has functional properties (designed to catch a mouse). Functionalism says that the mousetrap is more like the mind because it is defined by its function rather than what it is made from (structure). 4. Put the 'optimistic argument' for functionalism in premise conclusion form. What objection do the authors give to this argument? Which premise are they rejecting? P1: If mental states are defined by their functional role, then any system that performs the same function could have the same mental state. P2: Machines can be designed to perform the same functions as human brains. C: Therefore, machines can have mental states. The authors state that this argument is question-begging. They object to the second premise because they argue that it is not clear that machines can perform the same functions as human brains, especially when it comes to experiences and emotions.
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