Arguments Against Folk Psychology

Key arguments for Eliminative Materialism

• The author argues that folk psychology (FP) is a "terrible theory" that should be eliminated because it is not supported by modern scientific understanding, particularly neuroscience.
• FP relies on intentional categories like "beliefs" and "desires" to explain human behavior, but these categories are not reducible to the physical and biological processes that actually underlie our cognition and behavior.
• FP's reliance on intentional categories is analogous to the pre-scientific theories of alchemy, phlogiston, the four humors, or vitalism, which were ultimately replaced by more scientific and accurate theories that did not rely on non-material explanations.
• FP is a "smokescreen" that masks the lack of a solid theoretical foundation and stifles scientific progress.
• Because our understanding of cognitive virtue is currently based on FP, we cannot fully grasp the nature of intellectual virtue. We need to go beyond FP's limitations to understand both human cognition and the nature of rationality.
• A truly informed future perspective on cognitive virtue will arise from a mature neuroscience—providing a deeper and more general understanding of the kinematics of cognitive activity.

Example of FP's limitations

• FP holds that "beliefs" and "desires" are necessary to explain human behavior. The author argues that this view is analogous to alchemists who believed that the properties of matter were due to the presence of spirits or essences. The author compares these outdated views to FP, arguing that FP relies on outdated ideas about the human mind and behavior.

The problem with the Functionalist Strategem

• The author criticizes the "functionalist strategem," which attempts to preserve traditional FP categories by redefining them in terms of their causal roles.
• The author rejects this approach, arguing that it amounts to a mere "charade," a smoke screen that disguises FP's fundamental flaws. He draws parallels with alchemy, arguing that FP is just as outdated as alchemy.

The argument against Anti-Vitalism

• The author uses an example of an argument against anti-vitalism: The anti-vitalist claims that there is no such thing as "vital spirit." The author states that the argument is self-refuting because if the statement is true then the speaker does not have a "vital spirit" and is therefore dead. If that's true, then the speaker's statement is meaningless.
• The author uses this example to illustrate the argument that FP is self-defeating.

Eliminative Materialism and Normative Concerns

• While eliminative materialism replaces FP, it doesn't eliminate normative concerns. Instead, it requires them to be reconsidered and redefined within the framework of a matured neuroscience.

Overall Argument

• The author advocates for "eliminative materialism," which eliminates folk psychology in favor of a more accurate scientific understanding of the mind and behavior.
• This shift will lead to a deeper and more refined understanding of cognitive virtue.
• This view requires re-evaluating our conceptions of rationality and cognitive virtue within the context of a mature neuroscience.

This quiz explores key arguments for Eliminative Materialism, particularly critiquing folk psychology (FP) as an inadequate framework for understanding human cognition and behavior. It discusses the need to move beyond FP in order to embrace a more scientifically robust understanding of intellectual virtue.