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.
-Nagel is skeptical of reductionism.

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Definitions:

Tegmentum

The tegmentum is a part of the brainstem involved in movement and arousal; it helps regulate many basic functions of life including awareness, and the modulation of pain.

Glial Cells

In the nervous systems, both central and peripheral, there exist cells that are not neurons but serve to protect and support neuronal cells.

Neurons

The basic working units of the brain and nervous system, cells that transmit information via electrical and chemical signals.

Metencephalon

A region of the brainstem that includes the pons and cerebellum, involved in motor control, sensory analysis, and consciousness.