Lecture � Swinburne, conch, consciousness

Greg Detre

23/11/00

Consciousness society

 

is �green� = reflecting certain wavelengths?

not according to Swinburne

 

events under different descriptions are different events, in Davidsonian terms???

 

1.      hard materialism � all events are physical

but on Swinburnian terms, there are clearly non-physical (i.e. privileged access) events

2.      soft materialism � 2 sorts of events. all substances have physical properties, but some substances have mental properties

(but there are events that are mental without physical instantiations???)

split-brain experiment � mix and match hemispheres � which is me?

there must be non-public substances � soul

normally, soul follows body

but in the split-brain experiments, we don't know what happens to me, so the �me� must be a substance that is not public

soul = where mental properties are instantiated � strong dualism

 

what about if we duplicate rather than split the brain?

truth���� downward causation��� anomalousness of the mental

imposing soul as the substrate of my mental life

how do my mind + body relate?

canonical description of an event (i.e. describing the event in terms of rigid designators)

 

self as continuum

take away neurons

critical mass???

 

soul as abstraction rather than instantiation

 

Questions

what is meant by �access�???

so what is it about me that�s essential over time???

continuity of self/stream of consciousness

me as continuity of experience???