Single Idea 3369

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / B. Behaviourism / 1. Behaviourism]

Full Idea

Logical behaviourism says any meaningful statement about mental phenomena can be translated without loss of content into a statement solely about behavioural and physical phenomena.

Gist of Idea

Logical behaviourism translates mental language to behavioural

Source

Jaegwon Kim (Philosophy of Mind [1996], p. 29)

Book Reference

Kim,Jaegwon: 'Philosophy of Mind' [Westview 1998], p.29


A Reaction

Also called analytical behaviourism. If we are supposed to infer the ontology of mental states from language, this makes me cross. Maybe we only discuss mentality in behavioural terms because we are epistemologically, and hence linguistically, limited.