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Functionalism

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Is there an alternative to trying to understand thought by ... Does this lectern? Dennett's Functionalism. Attempts to explain what an 'Intentional System' is. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Functionalism


1
Functionalism
  • Matter, Design, and Intentionality

2
Reflecting on the history of neuroscience
  • We know that the brain has a lot to do with the
    mind.
  • Why is it so difficult to study it?
  • History of neuroscience
  • Problem How do you connect brain activity with
    behavior?
  • Are there other approaches?

3
A clean methodology?
  • Is there an alternative to trying to understand
    thought by looking at the brain?
  • Can we theorize about whats going on inside the
    black box without looking directly at it?

4
Back to a problem
  • Materialism appears to be too parochial
  • It says that the mind is the brain.
  • That rules out minds where there are no brains.
  • But maybe something could think, without having a
    brain.

5
A Martian Story
  • The story .
  • The moral

6
Functionalism
  • The mind is the internal system that takes
    characteristic input and produces characteristic
    output in systems to which we attribute
    intelligence.
  • In human beings, the hardware of that internal
    system is the brain.
  • In another type of intelligent agent, (e.g. the
    Martian) the hardware could be different.
  • But the underlying functions are the same.

7
Functionalism continued
  • In human beings, mental states are instantiated
    in the human brain.
  • In Martians, mental states might be instantiated
    in the pudding-like substance inside the
    Martians toes.
  • What are the inputs and what are the outputs?

8
Parochial concerns again
  • Functionalism is not parochial.
  • Is Functionalism too liberal?
  • What thinks and what doesnt?
  • Does my toaster think?
  • Does this lectern?

9
Dennetts Functionalism
  • Attempts to explain what an Intentional System
    is.
  • Presents an argument for functionalism.
  • Presents arguments against materialism and
    behaviorism.

10
Explanatory stances
  • An explanatory stance is a way of explaining and
    predicting somethings behavior.
  • Dennett introduces three stances.
  • The Physical Stance
  • The Design Stance
  • The Intentional Stance
  • Could there be other stances?

11
The Physical Stance
  • Invoked to explain physical systems
  • Look at the properties of the system.
  • Example
  • A limb breaks off a tree in a storm.

12
The Design Stance
  • Designed systems are physical, but are designed.
  • Ignore the physical properties.
  • Or more properly Assume them.
  • Appeal to the design to explain and predict.
  • Example
  • Adjusting the balance on stereo speakers.

13
The Intentional Stance
  • Intentional Systems are physical and designed.
  • Ignore the physical and design aspects.
  • Treat as having intentional properties.
  • Example
  • Predicting your Professors behavior

14
When do not when should we take the intentional
stance?
  • Explaining and predicting human behavior.
  • Explaining and predicting our animals behavior.
  • Explaining and predicting plant behavior.
  • Explaining and predicting electricity.

15
When is the intentional stance appropriate? When
should we take it?
  • When its the only way of predicting and
    explaining the systems behavior.
  • This may rule out the plant, for example, as an
    intentional system.

16
Some real intentional systems
  • Most humans.
  • But not all May need to take the design stance
    toward someone with a severe head injury, for
    example.
  • Some computers
  • How to play chess against a computer.

17
Intentionality and Rationality
  • The intentional stance involves attributing
    rationality to the system.
  • Whats rationality?
  • Ability to make the appropriate inferences from
    given information.
  • Examples of rational behavior

18
Rationality and Language
  • Intentional Systems have beliefs.
  • Beliefs are expressed in terms of propositions.
  • Propositions are elements of language.
  • So Intentional Systems will have a language.

19
Could we dispense with the Intentional Strategy?
  • Behaviorists say
  • YES!
  • What is Dennetts reply?
  • Materialists say
  • YES!
  • What is Dennetts reply?

20
Levels of Explanation
  • Is the hardware of the black box irrelevant?
  • Does Dennett think we should ignore the brain?
  • Intentional systems are also physical and
    designed systems.
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