The Philosophy of Cognitive Science

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The Philosophy of Cognitive Science

Psychophysical dualism — the distinction between mind and body — is the counterposition between essentially irreducible elements: the mind and body. Such a dualism implies the main ontological problem of the philosophy of cognitive science and philosophy of mind: the mind-body problem (MBP). The dualism and the referred-to problem has been insistently discussed in the philosophical tradition and several solutions have been proposed. Such solutions are properly philosophical or require a scientific approach. First, I will expound the philosophical solution to the MBP proposed by Descartes, to be followed by an exposition of Ryle's criticisms to the solution. Second, from Ryle's criticism, I will deduce a scientific solution to the MBP related to the neural framework model of mind in cognitive science by means of what I call 'the principle of the embodiment of the mind.' Finally, I shall point out the philosophical difficulties that are to be found in using such a principle.

If I've reason, then the philosophical problems must let dissolve themselves without any rest, differently from others... — Ludwig Wittgenstein

But this very attraction should make us suspicious: in the history of philosophy, attempts at showing a problem to be "pseudo-problem" have often encountered the very same difficulties that have beset attempts to solve the problem. — Hilary Putnam

I - INTRODUCTION

The psychophysical dualism or mind-body distinction is the counterposition between two essentially irreducible elements: soul and body. Such dualism implies, as we will show, the more discussed issue of philosophy of cognitive science and philosophy of mind: the mind-body problem (MBP, henceforth) whose the en...

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...r and Zopf, Pergamon, p. 255-78, 1962).

Atlan, H. Entre le Cristal et la Fumée. Essai sur l'organisation du vivant. Ed. du Seuil, Paris, France, 1979.

Churchland, D. P. Theories of Brain Function. In : Neurophilosophy: Towards a Unified Science of Mind and Brain, MIT Press, 1986.

Descartes, R. Les Meditations Metaphysiques. Ec. Tannery & Adam: Librairie Philosophique L. Vrin, vol. IX -1, 1982.

Gardner, H. The Mind's New Science: A History of Cognitive Revolution. New York, Basic Books, 1987.

Guéroult, M. Descartes Selon l' Ordre de Raisons. Ed. Aubier, vol 1, Paris, 1964.

Gonzales, M. E. Q. Neural networks and Mental Representation: An essay on Harmony and Rationality. In: Trans/ Form/Ação, São Paulo, v. 14, p.93-108, 1991.

Nagel, E. The Structure of Science: Problems in the Logic of Scientific Explanation. Routhledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1961.

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