Single Idea 4619

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

Full Idea

Proponents of multiple realisability regard it as vital to distinguish realised, higher-level properties from their lower-level realisers.

Clarification

'Multiple realisability' is (e.g.) humans and martians producing pain in quite different ways

Gist of Idea

'Multiple realisability' needs to clearly distinguish low-level realisers from what is realised

Source

John Heil (Philosophy of Mind [1998], Ch.6)

Book Reference

Heil,John: 'Philosophy of Mind' [Routledge 1998], p.200


A Reaction

So that the very idea of 'multiple realisability' begs the question. Minds are private, so it is never clear what has been realised, especially in non-linguistic brains.