This article focuses on the philosophical problem of mental causation as it has been debated in mainstream metaphysics of the last 50. years. After a brief overview of the history of the problem, the assumptions constituting it are made explicit and shown to be inconsistent. In a second step, various arguments supporting canonical solutions to the problem are summarized, including interactionist, epiphenomenalist, identity theorist, and overdeterminationist approaches. The final section highlights the most recent developments of the debate by presenting a family of compatibilist approaches as well as interventionist theories of mental causation.
CITATION STYLE
Harbecke, J. (2015). Mental Causation. In International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences: Second Edition (pp. 172–178). Elsevier Inc. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-097086-8.63095-7
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