Physicalism, mind, and the ontology of properties
In this thesis, I will try to find out how we can accommodate human mind in a physical world. What is significant in my attempt is that I try to approach this problem with a prospect that the theory of mental causation and consciousness will be subsumed under the general theory of properties. With this general orientation, I will do the following three things in this thesis: (1) I will trace and develop the theories of mental causation and consciousness that have been conducted in the philosophy of mind. (2) I will trace and develop the general theories of properties that have been conducted in analytic metaphysics. (3) I will try to show that there is a prospect of combining the theory of mental causation and consciousness with the general theory of properties (or rather subsume the former under the latter). In Chapter 2, I will clarify what physicalism should be. I formulate a minimal version of physicalism. The reason why I take physicalism is also stated. In Chapter 3, I survey the history of non-reductive physicalism, and examine a version of non-reductive physicalism, Anomalous Monism. I will show that Anomalous Monism cannot explain the causal efficacy of mental properties. In Chapter 4, I will examine
Kaida, Daisuke
Physicalism, mind, and the ontology of properties. In this thesis, I will try to find out how we can accommodate human mind in a physical world. What is significant in my attempt is that I try to approach this problem with a prospect that the theory of mental causation and consciousness will be subsumed under the general theory of properties. With this general orientation, I will do the following three things in this thesis: (1) I will trace and develop the theories of mental causation and consciousness that have been conducted in the philosophy of mind. (2) I will trace and develop the general theories of properties that have been conducted in analytic metaphysics. (3) I will try to show that there is a prospect of combining the theory of mental causation and consciousness with the general theory of properties (or rather subsume the former under the latter). In Chapter 2, I will clarify what physicalism should be. I formulate a minimal version of physicalism. The reason why I take physicalism is also stated. In Chapter 3, I survey the history of non-reductive physicalism, and examine a version of non-reductive physicalism, Anomalous Monism. I will show that Anomalous Monism cannot explain the causal efficacy of mental properties. In Chapter 4, I will examine
physicalism mind ontology property try accommodate human_mind physical_world significant attempt try problem prospect theory_mental causation consciousness subsume general_theory property general orientation follow_three thing trace develop theory_mental causation consciousness conduct philosophy_mind trace develop general_theory property conduct analytic metaphysics try_show prospect combine theory_mental causation consciousness general_theory property rather subsume former latter clarify physicalism formulate minimal version physicalism reason take physicalism also state survey history non_reductive physicalism examine version non_reductive physicalism anomalous monism show anomalous monism explain causal efficacy mental_property examine