Know-how, ability, and the ability hypothesis
Theoria 67 (3):229-39 (2001)
| Abstract | David Lewis (1983, 1988) and Laurence Nemirow (1980, 1990) claim that knowing what an experience is like is knowing-how, not knowing-that. They identify this know-how with the abilities to remember, imagine, and recognize experiences, and Lewis labels their view ‘the Ability Hypothesis’. The Ability Hypothesis has intrinsic interest. But Lewis and Nemirow devised it specifically to block certain anti-physicalist arguments due to Thomas Nagel (1974, 1986) and Frank Jackson (1982, 1986). Does it? | |||||||||
| Keywords | Ability Experience Hypothesis Knowing How Metaphysics Physicalism Chomsky, N Lewis, D Nemirow, L | |||||||||
| Categories | ||||||||||
| Options |
|
|||||||||
Download options| PhilPapers Archive |
Upload a copy of this paper Check publisher's policy on self-archival Papers currently archived: 5,701 |
| External links |
 |
| Through your library | Configure |
Similar books and articlesUwe Meyer (2001). The Knowledge Argument, Abilities, and Metalinguistic Beliefs. Erkenntnis 55 (3):325-347.
D. H. Mellor (1993). Nothing Like Experience. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 63:1-16.
Jeremy Fantl (2008). Knowing-How and Knowing-That. Philosophy Compass 3 (3):451–470.
Laurence Nemirow (2006). So This is What It's Like: A Defense of the Ability Hypothesis. In Torin Alter & Sven Walter (eds.), Phenomenal Concepts and Phenomenal Knowledge: New Essays on Consciousness and Physicalism. Oxford University Press.
Laurence Nemirow (1990). Physicalism and the Cognitive Role of Acquaintance. In William G. Lycan (ed.), Mind and Cognition. Blackwell.
Michael Tye (2000). Knowing What It is Like: The Ability Hypothesis and the Knowledge Argument. In Consciousness, Color, and Content. MIT Press.
Sam Coleman (2009). Why the Ability Hypothesis is Best Forgotten. Journal of Consciousness Studies 16 (2-3):74-97.
Paul Noordhof (2003). Something Like Ability. Australian Journal of Philosophy 81 (1):21-40.
Bence Nanay (2009). Imagining, Recognizing and Discriminating. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 79 (3):699-717.
Bence Nanay (2009). Imagining, Recognizing and Discriminating: Reconsidering the Ability Hypothesis. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 79 (3):699-717.
Analytics
Monthly downloads |
Added to index2009-01-28Total downloads100 ( #6,160 of 549,124 )Recent downloads (6 months)4 ( #19,263 of 549,124 )How can I increase my downloads? |
My notes
Discussion
