Metaphysics Part II

Problems for Dualism Where does the interaction between the non-physical mind and physical brain take place? How does the non- physical mind cause the physical brain to initiate activity? Where did the energy for activity come from and where did it go?

Thought Experiment: Sockgrabber Invisible aliens. Eat socks, convert energy to sustain their own invisible lives. Plausible? How different from dualism?

Identity Theory & Eliminativism Mental State = Brain State. Mental Events are Brain Events. When I feel outrage and moral indignation when viewing images of Nazi death camps, my adrenal gland above my kidney is sending 2 cc’s of Noradrenaline to a group of resting neural cells in my brain, which receive the Noradrenaline as a negative ion charge which, in turn, alters the potasium/sodium balance in the neural cells and causes the electrical levels in the neural cells to elevate from -70mv to +50 mv. There are no mental states. My adrenal gland above my kidney is sending 2 cc’s of Noradrenaline to a group of resting neural cells in my brain, which receive the Noradrenaline as a negative ion charge which, in turn, alters the potasium/sodium balance in the neural cells and causes the electrical levels in the neural cells to elevate from -70mv to +50 mv.

Problem for Physicalism: Logical Self-Contradiction If my mental processes are determined wholly by the motions of atoms in my brain, do I have any reason to suppose that my beliefs are “true?” And if I have no reason for supposing my beliefs are true, do I have any reason for supposing my brain is made of atoms?

Belief? Frannie smells smoke and calls the fire department because she believes her house is on fire. Pavlov’s dog hears the bell ring and salivates because he believes food is coming.

Belief? The bird pokes at the ground because it believes a worm is beneath the surface. The amoeba oozes around the particle because it believes it is food. The house heater turns on because the thermostat believes the house is too cold.

Parfit: Switched Brains, One Dies Does Brownson still possess his sense of “me-ness” or “psychological continuity?” What is Brownson’s identity? Robinson’s Body & Brown’s Brain = Brownson Brown’s Body & Robinson’s Brain= Deceased Robown

Two People, Each with ½ of the Same One Brain that Possesses Equal Memory of Unified Self I can be one if one dies. I can’t pick one if both live. I can’t be both. I can’t be neither. So who will “I” be?

One Cell, Two Cell, Three Cell…….All Cells Am I still “me?”

Is that “me”?