Single Idea 6533

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / C. Functionalism / 5. Teleological Functionalism]

Full Idea

I am taking mental types to form a small subclass of teleological types occurring for the most part at a high level of functional abstraction.

Clarification

'Teleological types' are identified by their purposes

Gist of Idea

Mental types are a subclass of teleological types at a high level of functional abstraction

Source

William Lycan (Consciousness [1987], 4.3)

Book Reference

Lycan,William G.: 'Consciousness' [MIT 1995], p.43


A Reaction

He goes on to say that he understand teleology in evolutionary terms. There is always a gap between how you characterise or individuate something, and what it actually is. To say spanners are 'a small subclass of tools' is not enough.