Introspection and Materialism

Философия И Космология 18:138-152 (2017)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

The paper explores the argument from introspection as a counterargument for the validity of reductive materialism and, in other cases, of any type of materialism. The author uses methods and conceptual apparatus of analytic philosophy, as well as the instruments of logical analysis to demonstrate falsity of this argument and impossibility of its usage for the defense of dualism and criticism of materialism. Theory of mind, proposed by David Chalmers, is revisited to demonstrate the epistemic asymmetry arises in case of usage of introspection-argument against materialism. The phenomenon of epistemic asymmetry is explained through the discordance between causal and conceptual relations. The author uses thought experiments as well, to demonstrate uselessness of additional sense, which arises in case of ontological postulation of such concepts as “conscious experience” as something to what introspection propositions refer. The argument from “cultural diversity”, holding the support of introspection-argument, is revisited as well. The results of research resulted into conclusion, to which the ontologization of subjective experience as a proof of causal openness of physical world for the dualism of features and properties is illegitimate and beats completely off the mark. Therefore, the argument from introspection, which is considered the ‘protective belt’ of modern dualistic and non-reductive materialistic approaches (from naturalistic dualism to ‘folk-psychology’, cannot suit as an argument in the discussions in philosophy of mind.

Other Versions

original Kazakov, Mstislav (2017) "Introspection and Materialism". Filosofiâ I Kosmologiâ 18():138-152
reprint Kazakov, Mstislav (2017) "Introspection and Materialism". Philosophy and Cosmology 18(1):

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 99,596

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Introspection and Materialism.Mstislav Kazakov - 2017 - Filosofiâ I Kosmologiâ 18:138-152.
Conceptual Dualism.David Papineau - 2002 - In Thinking About Consciousness. Oxford, GB: Oxford University Press UK.
Materialism, mental language, and the mind-body identity.Michael Arthur Simon - 1970 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 30 (June):514-32.
Smart on sensations.Kurt Baier - 1962 - Australasian Journal of Philosophy 40 (1):57-68.
Introspection.Michael E. Levin - 1985 - Behavior and Philosophy 13 (2):125.

Analytics

Added to PP
2021-08-05

Downloads
7 (#1,696,629)

6 months
3 (#1,492,768)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Mstislav Kazakov
National Technological University

Citations of this work

No citations found.

Add more citations

References found in this work

No references found.

Add more references