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Single Idea 2576

[filed under theme 17. Mind and Body / C. Functionalism / 1. Functionalism ]

Full Idea

According to functionalism, a system might have the behaviouristic input-output relations, yet not desire something, as this requires internal states with certain causal relations.

Gist of Idea

In functionalism, desires are internal states with causal relations

Source

Ned Block (Troubles with Functionalism [1978], p. 69)

Book Ref

'The Philosophy of Mind', ed/tr. Beakley,B /Ludlow P [MIT 1992], p.69


A Reaction

Such a system might be Putnam's 'superactor', who only behaves as if he desires something. Of course, the internal states might need more than just 'causal relations'.


The 16 ideas from Ned Block

The Inverted Earth example shows that phenomenal properties are not representational [Block, by Rowlands]
The meaning of a representation is its role in thought, perception or decisions [Block]
Behaviour requires knowledge as well as dispositions [Block]
In functionalism, desires are internal states with causal relations [Block]
Functionalism is behaviourism, but with mental states as intermediaries [Block]
Could a creature without a brain be in the right functional state for pain? [Block]
Simple machine-functionalism says mind just is a Turing machine [Block]
A Turing machine, given a state and input, specifies an output and the next state [Block]
Physicalism is prejudiced in favour of our neurology, when other systems might have minds [Block]
Intuition may say that a complex sentence is ungrammatical, but linguistics can show that it is not [Block]
A brain looks no more likely than anything else to cause qualia [Block]
You might invert colours, but you can't invert beliefs [Block]
Lobotomised patients can cease to care about a 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]
A fast machine could pass all behavioural tests with a vast lookup table [Block, by Rey]