Philosophy of Science 86 (5):1179–1190 (2019)
Authors |
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Abstract |
James developed an evolutionary objection to epiphenomenalism that is still discussed
today. Epiphenomenalists have offered responses that do not grasp its full depth. I thus
offer a new reading and assessment of James’s objection. Our life-essential, phenomenal
pleasures and pains have three features that suggest that they were shaped by selection,
according to James: they are natively patterned, those patterns are systematically linked
with antecedent brain states, and the patterns are “universal” among humans. If epiphenomenalism
were true, phenomenal patterns could not have been selected (because epiphenomenalism
precludes phenomenal consciousness affecting reproductive success).
So epiphenomenalism is likely false.
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Keywords | Epiphenomenalism, William James, Evolution, Consciousness, Adaptation |
Categories | (categorize this paper) |
DOI | 10.1086/705477 |
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