What is eliminative materialism? Learning objective: To understand the key features of Eliminativism

Initial reactions? Eliminativism says that there are no mental properties – nothing exists that corresponds to mental terms like ‘belief’, ‘desire’ and so on.

Basic element – reduced to more basic elements – but it still exists.

Eliminative materialism (also known as eliminativism) argues that future scientific developments will show that the way we think and talk about the mind is fundamentally flawed. Our mental concepts are so mistaken, in fact, that we should abandon all talk of the mental, and stick to talking about brain processes instead. This claim is not a form of reductionism; it is a form of elimination. Reduction says that there are mental properties, but they are, in fact, physical, or behavioural, or functional properties. Mental states as they are currently understood, do not exist. Have a go at the activity on p.332 orange book

Paul and Patricia Churchland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzT0jHJdq7Q

Read Churchland p.68- top of 69 What is folk psychology?

Folk pscyh is an empirical theory If empirical theories turn out not be to accurate they should be abandoned Concept of folk psych gain meaning from a network of laws So if we reject the laws we should also reject folk psych (certain scientific theories postulated and either abandoned or deemed successful)

Scientific research indicates a strong connection between mind and brain processes So how is it related? The mind brain theorist thinks… The dualist thinks… The functionalist thinks… Eliminativsm thinks…

Scientific research indicates a strong connection between mind and brain processes So how is it related? The mind brain theorist thinks…mind ontologically reduces to brain The dualist thinks…mind is irreducible The functionalist thinks…it is irreducible because neuroscience can only tell us what realises mental states, understood in functional terms Eliminativsm thinks…talk of mind will not reduce because folk psychology is false. It should be replaced by a neuroscientific theory. What’s the difference between reductionism and eliminativism?

So, is folk psychology false and therefore be abandoned? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzT0jHJdq7Q What reasons does she give? Why does she say that people are concerned by eliminativism? Should they be according to Churchland? Would you be concerned by this?

p.72 - 75 Why might folk psychology be false? See if you can find the reasons Churchland gives in answer to this question. Check in orange book p.331-332