Consider the following argument: Argument: “Although Descart…
Consider the following argument: Argument: “Although Descartes’ Substance Dualism suffers from Ryle’s Problem of Other Minds, whereas Jaegwon Kim’s Local Reductionist Identity Theory of Mind does not, there is at least one respect in which Descartes’ view is better than Kim’s: Substance Dualism can give a general theory of mind, whereas the Argument Against Disjunctive Properties shows that Kim’s Local Reductionism cannot. Since Behaviorism suffers from neither of these problems, we therefore have a reason to think that behaviorism is the best theory of mind out of these three.” Essay Question: After explaining all of the course material that is relevant to the above argument, what are two reasons for thinking that the above argument is unconvincing? (Hint: explain how substance dualism is supposed to provide a general theory of the mind; explain the problem of other minds and how behaviorism solves it; explain how local reductionism provides Kim with an identity theory of mind; and explain the argument against disjunctive properties. It would also be a good idea to explain Kim’s Causal Inheritance argument, and to explain the main problem for behaviorism. After you do that, you should be able to raise two objections to the argument that have clearly stated targets. To do that, I advise that your final two paragraphs begin as follows: “The first(/second) reason to think that the above argument is unconvincing is that it assumes X, but X is false because…” where X is some claim made in the argument that you intend to target, such as a background assumption, or the assumption that the conclusion follows from the premises).
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