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Single Idea 6665
[filed under theme 16. Persons / A. Concept of a Person / 1. Existence of Persons
]
Full Idea
I suggest that persons are selves - that is, they are subjects of experience which have the capacity to recognised themselves as being individual subjects of experience; selves possess reflexive self-knowledge.
Gist of Idea
Persons are selves - subjects of experience, with reflexive self-knowledge
Source
E.J. Lowe (Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind [2000], Ch.10)
Book Ref
Lowe,E.J.: 'Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind' [CUP 2000], p.264
A Reaction
I would express this as 'a capacity for meta-thought'. I increasingly see that as the hallmark of homo sapiens, and the key quality I look for in assessing the intelligence of aliens. Very intelligent people are exceptionally self-aware.
The
45 ideas
from 'Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind'
6617
|
The main questions are: is mind distinct from body, and does it have unique properties?
[Lowe]
|
6631
|
If propositions are abstract entities, how can minds depend on their causal powers?
[Lowe]
|
6618
|
A 'substance' is a thing that remains the same when its properties change
[Lowe]
|
6619
|
Perhaps 'I' no more refers than the 'it' in 'it is raining'
[Lowe]
|
6626
|
'Phenomenal' consciousness is of qualities; 'apperceptive' consciousness includes beliefs and desires
[Lowe]
|
6625
|
If qualia are causally inert, how can we even know about them?
[Lowe]
|
6621
|
You can only identify behaviour by ascribing belief, so the behaviour can't explain the belief
[Lowe]
|
6623
|
Functionalism can't distinguish our experiences in spectrum inversion
[Lowe]
|
6628
|
Functionalism only discusses relational properties of mental states, not intrinsic properties
[Lowe]
|
6629
|
Functionalism commits us to bizarre possibilities, such as 'zombies'
[Lowe]
|
6622
|
Non-reductive physicalism accepts token-token identity (not type-type) and asserts 'supervenience' of mind and brain
[Lowe]
|
6630
|
Eliminativism is incoherent if it eliminates reason and truth as well as propositional attitudes
[Lowe]
|
6634
|
Physicalists must believe in narrow content (because thoughts are merely the brain states)
[Lowe]
|
6636
|
The naturalistic views of how content is created are the causal theory and the teleological theory
[Lowe]
|
6633
|
Twin Earth cases imply that even beliefs about kinds of stuff are indexical
[Lowe]
|
6632
|
The same proposition provides contents for the that-clause of an utterance and a belief
[Lowe]
|
6635
|
Causal theories of belief make all beliefs true, and can't explain belief about the future
[Lowe]
|
6637
|
How could one paraphrase very complex sense-data reports adverbially?
[Lowe]
|
6642
|
Psychologists say illusions only occur in unnatural and passive situations
[Lowe]
|
6641
|
Externalists say minds depend on environment for their very existence and identity
[Lowe]
|
6639
|
The 'disjunctive' theory of perception says true perceptions and hallucinations need have nothing in common
[Lowe]
|
6640
|
A causal theorist can be a direct realist, if all objects of perception are external
[Lowe]
|
6645
|
If blindsight shows we don't need perceptual experiences, the causal theory is wrong
[Lowe]
|
6646
|
The brain may have two systems for vision, with only the older one intact in blindsight
[Lowe]
|
6643
|
'Ecological' approaches say we don't infer information, but pick it up directly from reality
[Lowe]
|
6638
|
One must be able to visually recognise a table, as well as knowing its form
[Lowe]
|
6644
|
Computationalists object that the 'ecological' approach can't tell us how we get the information
[Lowe]
|
6647
|
Comparing shapes is proportional in time to the angle of rotation
[Lowe]
|
6648
|
Some behaviourists believe thought is just suppressed speech
[Lowe]
|
6651
|
People are wildly inaccurate in estimating probabilities about an observed event
[Lowe]
|
6652
|
'Base rate neglect' makes people favour the evidence over its background
[Lowe]
|
6655
|
The 'Frame Problem' is how to program the appropriate application of general knowledge
[Lowe]
|
6654
|
A computer program is equivalent to the person AND the manual
[Lowe]
|
6653
|
Syntactical methods of proof need only structure, where semantic methods (truth-tables) need truth
[Lowe]
|
6656
|
The Turing test is too behaviourist, and too verbal in its methods
[Lowe]
|
6659
|
The three main theories of action involve the will, or belief-plus-desire, or an agent
[Lowe]
|
6661
|
Libet gives empirical support for the will, as a kind of 'executive' mental operation
[Lowe]
|
6662
|
We feel belief and desire as reasons for choice, not causes of choice
[Lowe]
|
6663
|
People's actions are explained either by their motives, or their reasons, or the causes
[Lowe]
|
6657
|
Computers can't be rational, because they lack motivation and curiosity
[Lowe]
|
6667
|
There are memories of facts, memories of practical skills, and autobiographical memory
[Lowe]
|
6665
|
Persons are selves - subjects of experience, with reflexive self-knowledge
[Lowe]
|
6670
|
If my brain could survive on its own, I cannot be identical with my whole body
[Lowe]
|
6671
|
It seems impossible to get generally applicable mental concepts from self-observation
[Lowe]
|
6666
|
All human languages have an equivalent of the word 'I'
[Lowe]
|