In This Selection Churchland Examines Functionalism and the Two Prominent

question 6

True/False

In this selection Churchland examines functionalism and the two prominent versions of materialism in philosophy of mind. Reductivism claims that there is an identity of mental states with brain states. Functionalism rejects any one-to-one correlation between mental types and physical types and concentrates on the relationship between inputs and outputs. For example, the mental event of pain could be similar in two beings that have altogether different types of bodies and brains. Most functionalists are materialists, but someone could be a functionalist and be a nonmaterialist. Eliminative materialism is more radical than either of these other theories and seeks to eliminate "folk psychology"-talk of beliefs, feelings, and perceptions-in favor of more scientific descriptions of what is going on in the brain. Churchland concludes that the truth may be a combination of the two materialist theories, although the evidence points more in the direction of eliminativism.
-Smart ultimately rejects mind-body identity.

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Definitions:

Serotonin Depletion

Serotonin depletion refers to a decrease in the levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation, which can lead to various mental health issues.

Pessimism

Pessimism is an attitude or mindset characterized by a tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen; a lack of hope or confidence in the future.

Endorphins

The body’s own pain-killing chemicals, which operate by blocking the transmission of pain messages to the brain.

Inhibitory

Pertaining to a process that decreases the likelihood of a reaction occurring, often referring to neural signals in the brain that dampen activity.