Functionalism And Physicalism :: essays research papers

Functionalism and Physicalism     While acquiring knowledge on the topics of Functionalism andPhysicalism, I ran across many disagreement between the twain. Interestingly,those disagreements gave me an impression of different sides debate with theirown support from their own theories. As if an Arabian and a roman print were arguingabout whether the number eleven is an "Arabic" number or a "Roman" number.Though, as I read to a greater extent and more of the readings (especially Putnams), I sorbedto see a pattern that led me to think that perhaps Functionalism is compatiblewith Physicalism after all that these two theories can coexist.     The consume above is based on the information gathered in the two readingsassigned and therefore, I should go step by step in order to arrive at myconclusion that they can indeed coexist. First, I draw Ned Blocks elaborationon Meta physiologic Functionalism as a start of my argument. As Bl ock suggests,Metaphysical Functionalism is mainly botheration about what cordial put ups areinstead of a psychological explanation (Block, p. 172). Moreover, they concernthemselves with amiable state type not a specific token of the type. As in thecase of pain, they are concerned with a mental state called pain, and not of crabby pains (i.e. stomach-ache, pin-pricks, etc.). yet, according toPutnam, if the Physicalists does indeed attributes the name "physical states"to the enormous number of mental states we humans bring in, then, I think it wouldbe impossible for them to be concerned only with the type and not the tokens.But once they started to consider each specific pain (token), they will have toascribe a different physical-chemical state to each token-state. Ultimately,the common occasion "to all pains in justice of which they are pains (Block, p.172)" cannot be put in terms of a single physical state. believe that the sameproblem does not exist in the consideration of Functionalism becauseFunctionalism concern itself basically with the causal relations between thesetokens and not a particular one. Therefore, the common thing that exists inFunctionalism "to all pains in virtue of which they are pains" is actually the