more from Donald Davidson

Single Idea 3963

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / D. Property Dualism / 2. Anomalous Monism]

Full Idea

There are no strict psychophysical laws (that is, laws connecting mental events under their mental descriptions with physical events under their physical descriptions).

Clarification

'Strict' laws allow no exceptions

Gist of Idea

There are no strict psychophysical laws connecting mental and physical events

Source

Donald Davidson (Davidson on himself [1994], p.231)

Book Reference

'A Companion to the Philosophy of Mind', ed/tr. Guttenplan,Samuel [Blackwell 1995], p.231


A Reaction

This is clearly open to question. It may be just that no human mind could ever grasp such laws, given their probable complexity.