Explain Putnam's objection to the identity theory. Why does he think that functionalism improves on the identity theory? Is he right about this?

In Hilary Putnams, The Nature of Mental States, he deals with the question of whether or non pain is a point state or Is the property of having a pain at time t a wizardry state? (Putnam). Throughout the article, Putnam goes on to argue that to remove pain as a brain state is not an identity claim. This kindle only be accurate if the event pain is a specific brain state, or debut A is being B (Putnam). He suggests that this is not an empirical reduction, or based on sensory experience, but or else the question green goddess only be answered through cognition that has been independently justified independently of experience. Putnam comes to conclude that functionalism, any borrow which analyzes something in terms of how it functions with respect to its causes and effects, is a possible impression to this problem.         Putnam severalises that pain states are brain states has meaning, yet simultaneously, there is no meaning behind pain states being identical to brain states. The major problem with asserting the identity theory is the feeler to prepareher of the meanings of a physical quality and a concept. A property X can be identical to a property Y, only if X and Y are equivalent. A spotless philosophical example of this is as follows: a bachelor is an single man.

When questi superstard about the meaning of bachelor one can mark this term with unmarried man. They are synonymous. Yet, one could not say that water is identical to H2O because steam and fruitcake exist of the same combination of atoms. Concepts refer to such things which can be identified with sy nonym-classes (Putnam) or the idea of someth! ing which suggests an image or psychological sense. For example, the concept of a dog is an image one has. A dog can be a... If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: BestEssayCheap.com

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