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Single Idea 2348

[filed under theme 17. Mind and Body / C. Functionalism / 8. Functionalism critique ]

Full Idea

The idea that there is one computational state that every being who believes that there are lots of cats in the neighbourhood is in must be false.

Gist of Idea

Is there just one computational state for each specific belief?

Source

Hilary Putnam (Representation and Reality [1988], §5 p.84)

Book Ref

Putnam,Hilary: 'Representation and Reality' [MIT 1992], p.84


A Reaction

It is tempting to say that the mental states of such people must have SOMETHING in common, until you realise that all you can specify is that all their states are about cats.


The 18 ideas with the same theme [criticisms of the functionalist theory of mind]:

Is there just one computational state for each specific belief? [Putnam]
Functionalism can't explain reference and truth, which are needed for logic [Putnam]
If concepts have external meaning, computational states won't explain psychology [Putnam]
Computation presupposes consciousness [Searle]
If we are computers, who is the user? [Searle]
How do functional states give rise to mental causation? [Kim]
Could a creature without a brain be in the right functional state for pain? [Block]
Not just any old functional network will have mental states [Block]
In functionalism, what are the special inputs and outputs of conscious creatures? [Block]
Functionalism needs causation and intentionality to explain actions [Papineau]
Role concepts either name the realising property, or the higher property constituting the role [Papineau]
One computer program could either play chess or fight a war [Rey]
The Chinese Mind doesn't seem conscious, but then nor do brains from outside [Chalmers]
Functionalism cannot explain consciousness just by functional organisation [Heil]
If you are a functionalist, there appears to be no room for qualia [Heil]
Functionalism can't distinguish our experiences in spectrum inversion [Lowe]
Functionalism only discusses relational properties of mental states, not intrinsic properties [Lowe]
Functionalism commits us to bizarre possibilities, such as 'zombies' [Lowe]