Single Idea 3377

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / E. Mind as Physical / 3. Eliminativism]

Full Idea

The two best know attempts to analyse away mental states are Armstrong's causal conception of such states (e.g. pain is a neural event caused by tissue damage), and Smart's 'topic-neutral translation'.

Gist of Idea

Elimination can either be by translation or by causal explanation

Source

Jaegwon Kim (Philosophy of Mind [1996], p. 67)

Book Reference

Kim,Jaegwon: 'Philosophy of Mind' [Westview 1998], p.67


A Reaction

Armstrong's view certainly seems to be missing something, since his 'pain' could do the job without consciousness. I take Smart's approach to be the germ of the right answer.