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Single Idea 2418

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

Full Idea

While it may be intuitively implausible that Block's 'mind' made of the population of China would give rise to conscious experience, it is equally intuitively implausible that a brain should give rise to experience.

Gist of Idea

The Chinese Mind doesn't seem conscious, but then nor do brains from outside

Source

David J.Chalmers (The Conscious Mind [1996], 3.7.2)

Book Ref

Chalmers,David J.: 'The Conscious Mind' [OUP 1997], p.251


A Reaction

This sounds like good support for functionalism, but I am more inclined to see it as a critique of 'intuition' as a route to truth where minds are concerned. Intuition isn't designed for that sort of work.


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]