Ep. 221: Functionalist Theories of Mind (Putnam, Armstrong) (Part One)

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

Mark Linsenmayer

Casey, Paskin, Philosophy, Linsenmayer, Society & Culture, Alwan

4.6 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 15 July 2019

⏱️ 50 minutes

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Summary

On Hilary Putnam's "The Nature of Mental States" (1973).

What is the mind? Functionalist theories identify the mental with not with the brain exactly, but with something the brain does. So some other creature without a brain (maybe a computer) might be able to do that same thing if it could duplicate the structure of what our brains do. Is this a satisfying account of the mind?

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Partially examine life relies on your support.
0:02.2	To find out how to help, in ways that are cheap or even free for you,
0:05.5	check out partiallyexaminedlife.com slash support.
0:08.3	[♪ OUTRO MUSIC PLAYING [♪
0:16.0	You're listening to the Partially examined life, a podcast by some guys
0:19.0	where at one point, you're set on doing philosophy for living,
0:21.2	but then thought better of it.
0:22.5	Our question for episode 221 is, what is the mind?
0:26.6	We're considering the theory of functionalism,
0:28.8	as elaborated in Hillary Putnam's The Nature of Mental States, 1973.
0:33.2	David M. Armstrong's The causal theory of mind, 1981,
0:37.2	and where relevant will also bring up one of the readings
0:39.7	that we're going to be hitting next episode,
0:41.4	Ned Bloch's Troubles with Functionilism, 1978.
0:44.5	For more information and links to the readings,
0:46.0	visit partiallyexaminedlife.com.
0:48.0	This is Mark Linton-Meyer, actually seeing color
0:50.4	as the reflection of certain wavelengths of light
0:52.4	in Madison, Wisconsin.
0:53.9	This is Seth Pascon feeling this pain, my pain,
0:57.9	not your pain in Austin, Texas.
1:00.7	This is Wes Allen in a really positive machine state
	...

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