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Single Idea 3188

[filed under theme 17. Mind and Body / C. Functionalism / 6. Homuncular Functionalism ]

Full Idea

So-called 'homuncular functionalism' (such as Freud's or Plato's internal struggles of the soul) needn't lead to an infinite regress if eventually the homunculi become so stupid they could be replaced by a machine.

Clarification

'Homuncular' means 'involving little people inside the big person'

Gist of Idea

Homuncular functionalism (e.g. Freud) could be based on simpler mechanical processes

Source

Georges Rey (Contemporary Philosophy of Mind [1997], 7.2.2)

Book Ref

Rey,Georges: 'Contemporary Philosophy of Mind' [Blackwell 1997], p.195

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A Reaction

from Fodor

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The 4 ideas with the same theme [mind as a team of small independent functional units]:

7371	All functionalism is 'homuncular', of one grain size or another [Dennett]

4875	We descend from robots, and our intentionality is composed of billions of crude intentional systems [Dennett]

5498	Mind is a set of hierarchical 'homunculi', which are made up in turn from subcomponents [Fodor, by Lycan]

3188	Homuncular functionalism (e.g. Freud) could be based on simpler mechanical processes [Rey]