more from Hilary Putnam

Single Idea 2592

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

Full Idea

The presence of a certain functional state is not merely 'correlated with' but actually explains the pain behaviour on the part of the organism.

Gist of Idea

Functional states correlate with AND explain pain behaviour

Source

Hilary Putnam (The Nature of Mental States [1968], p.58)

Book Reference

'The Philosophy of Mind', ed/tr. Beakley,B /Ludlow P [MIT 1992], p.58


A Reaction

Does it offer any further explanation beyond saying that it is the brain state that causes the behaviour? The pain is just a link between damage and avoidance. I wish that is all that pain was.