PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Philosophy of Mind and Consciousness 2

Question 1

Epiphenomenalism is the view that mental events:

Accepted Answer

Are caused by physical events but have no causal power themselves

Answer

Epiphenomenalism holds that mental states are by-products of brain activity with no causal influence on behavior—they are effects, never causes.

Question 2

John Searle's Chinese Room argument is a critique of:

Accepted Answer

Strong artificial intelligence (strong AI)

Answer

Searle argues that symbol manipulation following rules (as a computer does) is insufficient for genuine understanding or intentionality, undermining strong AI claims.

Question 3

Eliminative materialism, defended by Paul and Patricia Churchland, claims that:

Accepted Answer

Folk psychology terms like 'belief' and 'desire' will be replaced by neuroscientific terms

Answer

Eliminativists argue that commonsense mental categories are a radically false theory that mature neuroscience will eventually eliminate and replace.

Question 4

Property dualism holds that while there is only one substance (the physical), it has two kinds of properties:

Accepted Answer

Physical and mental (phenomenal) properties

Answer

Property dualists accept physicalism about substance but argue that mental properties are irreducible to physical properties.

Question 5

Which term refers to the qualitative, subjective 'feel' of experience, such as the redness of red or the painfulness of pain?

Accepted Answer

Qualia

Answer

Qualia are the intrinsic, subjective qualities of conscious experience that physicalists struggle to explain in purely objective terms.

PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Practice Test

PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Practice Test

PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Philosophy of Mind and Consciousness 2