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Summary - metaphysics of the mind - MBTIT (7172)
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A summary sheet of all year 2 metaphysics of the mind MBTIT. In this sheet it contains the strengths and weaknesses of each theory, possible responses and overall judgement. it provides a framework to aid in answering both long and short answers and can be used as a detailed essay plan.

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  • June 17, 2024
  • 5
  • 2023/2024
  • Summary

Subjects

  • metaphysics of the mind
  • aqa
  • philosophy
  • paper 2

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  • A/AS Level
  • AQA
  • Philosophy
  • Metaphysics of the mind - MBTIT (7172)
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MBTIT – concepts, problems possible responses, overall judgement



MBTIT (mind-brain type identity theory):

- Says that the mind is the brain, and that all mental states and processes are
identical with brain states and processes.
- Means that mental states are ontologically reducible to brain states -> mental
states are reducible to some brain state – e.g. c-fibres firing.
- Because the theory is claiming an ontological reduction, it is not saying that
‘mental state’ and ‘brain state’ or ‘pain’ and ‘C fibres firing’ is the same thing –
it is not analytically true to say ‘pain is a C fibre firing’ just as it is not
analytically true to say ‘water is H2O’ – rather the theory is saying that these
two terms refer to the same thing in the world.
- This means that the objection that talk about the brain doesn’t mean the same
talk about the mind fails.
- The identity theory says that the relevant identities will be discovered
empirically as our neuroscientific understanding develops.
- So, identity theorists consider the identity between mind and brain as a
contingent identity and dependent on how the world happens to be, not on
conceptual analysis.



Key words:

Ontological Occurs when one type of entity is being shown to be, in reality the
reduction same as another type of entity or being.
- Example: water is identical to collections of hydrogen and
oxygen atoms.
Analytic Involves reducing concepts in one domain to concepts in another
reduction without loss of meaning.
- Concerns concepts and languages rather than things.
- Example: behaviourism -> claiming that ‘S is in pain’ and ‘S is
disposed to exhibit certain behaviours’ mean the same thing.
Type vs token Type = a general class.
Token = a particular of that class.
- Example: the particular instance of a word, such as ‘oak’ is a
token and can be repeated.
- But each instance is a token of the class or type to which it
belongs.


Type and tokens:

- There are different tokens of the same type of mental state.
- For example, if two different people are having the same thought or sensation,
then we can say that each is having a different token of the same type of
mental state.
- The same individual may have a different token of the same type of mental
state on different occasions.

,  MBTIT is saying that each type of mental state is identical to a type of
brain state.



Arguments for/ strengths of MBTIT:

- Science strongly argues for this theory
 Aligns with neuroscience and can give a purely physical account of
consciousness.
Backed up by brain scans, shows systematic correspondence between
mental processes and states of the brain.
- If we accept theory of evolution – then we must regard all the features of human
beings as the consequence of a material process -> there is no place within the
evolutionary account of our origins for the appearance of a non-physical mind.
- If states of consciousness (such as sensations) could not be reduced to the
physical then they would be as Smart calls ‘nomological danglers’ -> they would
have an ontologically peculiar status as the only thing in the universe that does
not follow the laws of physics.
 If we accept the principle of causal closure and that energy cannot be
created or destroyed, then there is no room for such nomological
danglers.
- Can point to the advances of neuroscience which are making the role of the
brain in producing conscious experiences increasingly clear.
 A range of types of mental state can today be precisely correlated with
activity in specific regions of the brain.
 We also know that the mind depends on the functioning of the brain
because damage to the brain has very particular effects on mental
capacities.
 SO, the simplest explanation would be that these regions are producing
these mental states.
- Solves problem of interaction.
 For if the mind is the brain, then there is no problem of how two
substances come to interact.
- Solves problems of other minds
 For if the mind is just the brain, once we have worked out whether
someone’s brain is operating in the right way we can be sure that they are
minded.
- Allows mental states a causal role in producing behaviour.
 (so shows to be stronger than behaviourism) – the identity theory is in
tune with common sense.



Problems of MBTIT:

1.

Dualist 1. Appeals to the evidence of introspection
arguments Defenders of dualism can employ arguments already considered
against this version of physical reductionism – ones that appeal to

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