more from Jerry A. Fodor

Single Idea 3981

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / E. Mind as Physical / 7. Anti-Physicalism / b. Multiple realisability]

Full Idea

These days most philosophers of mind suppose that most psychological properties are multiply realisable.

Clarification

A thing is 'multiply realisable' if it can be implemented in more than one physical way (e.g. a switch)

Gist of Idea

Most psychological properties seem to be multiply realisable

Source

Jerry A. Fodor (Jerry A. Fodor on himself [1994], p.298)

Book Reference

'A Companion to the Philosophy of Mind', ed/tr. Guttenplan,Samuel [Blackwell 1995], p.298


A Reaction

This is just speculation. The physical part may seem very different, but turn out to be identical in the ways that matter (like a knife made of two different metals).