Single Idea 7705

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 5. Qualia / b. Qualia and intentionality]

Full Idea

Putnam's Twin Earth thought experiment suggests that two thinkers can have identical qualia, despite intending different objects on Earth and Twin Earth, and hence that qualia and intentionality must be logically independent of one another.

Gist of Idea

The Twin Earth theory suggests that intentionality is independent of qualia

Source

comment on Hilary Putnam (The Meaning of 'Meaning' [1975]) by Dale Jacquette - Ontology Ch.10

Book Reference

Jacquette,Dale: 'Ontology' [Acumen 2002], p.247


A Reaction

[See Idea 4099, Idea 3208, Idea 7612 for Twin Earth]. Presumably my thought of 'the smallest prime number above 10000' would be a bit thin on qualia too. Does that make them 'logically' independent? Depends what we reduce qualia or intentionality to.

Related Ideas

Idea 4099 If Twins talking about 'water' and 'XYZ' have different thoughts but identical heads, then thoughts aren't in the head [Putnam, by Crane]

Idea 3208 Does 'water' mean a particular substance that was 'dubbed'? [Putnam, by Rey]

Idea 7612 Reference is social not individual, because we defer to experts when referring to elm trees [Putnam]