Philosophy of Mind Cheat Sheet

The core ideas of Philosophy of Mind distilled into a single, scannable reference — perfect for review or quick lookup.

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Quick Reference

The Mind-Body Problem

The central question of how mental states (thoughts, feelings, consciousness) relate to physical states (brain activity, neural processes). It asks whether the mind is a separate substance from the body or reducible to physical processes.

Substance Dualism

The view, most associated with Descartes, that mind and body are two fundamentally different kinds of substance -- the mind is non-physical (res cogitans) and the body is physical (res extensa). They interact but are ontologically distinct.

Physicalism (Materialism)

The view that everything that exists is physical, and that mental states are ultimately identical to, constituted by, or supervene upon physical states of the brain. There is nothing over and above the physical.

Functionalism

The theory that mental states are defined by their functional roles -- their causal relations to sensory inputs, behavioral outputs, and other mental states -- rather than by their internal physical composition.

Qualia

The subjective, qualitative aspects of conscious experience -- what it is like to have a particular experience. Qualia include the redness of red, the taste of coffee, and the felt quality of pain.

The Hard Problem of Consciousness

David Chalmers's distinction between the 'easy problems' of explaining cognitive functions (like information processing and behavioral responses) and the 'hard problem' of explaining why and how physical processes give rise to subjective experience.

Intentionality

The property of mental states by which they are directed at or about something -- they have content or refer to objects, states of affairs, or propositions. Beliefs, desires, and thoughts are all intentional states.

The Chinese Room Argument

John Searle's thought experiment arguing that a computer program, no matter how sophisticated, cannot possess genuine understanding or consciousness. A person in a room following rules to manipulate Chinese symbols produces correct outputs without understanding Chinese.

Supervenience

A relation between sets of properties: mental properties supervene on physical properties if there can be no change in mental properties without a corresponding change in physical properties. It is a way of expressing dependence without strict identity.

Eliminative Materialism

The radical view that common-sense mental concepts like beliefs, desires, and intentions (folk psychology) are fundamentally flawed and will eventually be replaced by a mature neuroscience, just as phlogiston was replaced by oxygen in chemistry.

Key Terms at a Glance

Consciousness:The state of being aware of and able to think about one's own existence, thoughts, and surroundings. In philosophy, it refers especially to subjective experience -- 'what it is like' to be in a mental state.

Dualism:Any view holding that mind and body (or mental and physical) are fundamentally distinct. Substance dualism posits two kinds of substance; property dualism posits two kinds of property within one substance.

Physicalism:The thesis that everything that exists is physical, or supervenes on the physical. All mental phenomena are ultimately explicable in physical terms.

Functionalism:The theory that mental states are defined by their functional roles rather than by their physical makeup. A mental state is whatever plays the right causal role.

Qualia:The subjective, qualitative properties of conscious experience, such as the redness of red or the painfulness of pain.

Intentionality:The property of mental states by which they are directed at, about, or represent objects, states of affairs, or propositions.

Supervenience:A dependence relation: mental properties supervene on physical properties if no mental difference can occur without a corresponding physical difference.

Epiphenomenalism:The view that mental events are caused by physical events but have no causal power over the physical. Consciousness is a by-product of brain activity.

Behaviorism (Philosophical):The view that mental concepts refer to behavioral dispositions rather than inner states. To be in pain is to be disposed to wince, cry out, and seek relief.

Identity Theory:The view that mental states are identical to brain states. Each type of mental state corresponds to a specific type of neural state.

Eliminative Materialism:The position that common-sense psychological concepts (beliefs, desires) are part of a false folk theory and will be eliminated by neuroscience.

Folk Psychology:The common-sense framework that explains and predicts behavior in terms of beliefs, desires, intentions, and other mental states.

Multiple Realizability:The thesis that a given mental state can be physically implemented in many different substrates (biological neurons, silicon chips, etc.).

The Hard Problem of Consciousness:The problem of explaining why and how physical processes in the brain give rise to subjective experience, as distinct from explaining cognitive functions.

Phenomenal Consciousness:The aspect of consciousness that involves subjective experience -- the 'what it is like' quality of a mental state.

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