COGS 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Physicalism, Reductionism, Empiricism
15 Oct 2014
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Cogs 100: introduction to cognitive science - lecture 3: philosophy perspective. Oldest area of study from which some of the other branches and areas evolved such as: metaphysics examines the nature of reality psychology, epistemology study of knowledge. Answers are solved by observation and reasoning. Focuses on defining problems, criticizing models, suggesting areas of future research by raising questions about unsolved problems. The mind-body problem study of the relationship between the mind and body and how they function together. Describes the seeming incompatibility between the physical properties of the brain and the mental qualities of the mind. The brain is material and physical and can be studied objectively. Mind consists of subjective phenomena: thoughts, feelings, beliefs. Philosophical behaviourism link between mind and body, also a way out of the mind-body problem is philosophical behaviourism. Behaviours such as talking, laughing and running are more easily measureable that brain activity. These are not always correct and not always indicate causal relationships.
