The Philosophy of Cognitive Science Essay -- Neurology Psychology Pape

The Philosophy of Cognitive Science Psychophysical dualism — the distinction between mind and body — is the counterposition between essentially irreducible elements: the mind and body. Such a dualism implies the main ontological problem of the philosophy of cognitive science and philosophy of mind: the mind-body problem (MBP). The dualism and the referred-to problem has been insistently discussed in the philosophical tradition and several solutions have been proposed. Such solutions are properly philosophical or require a scientific approach. First, I will expound the philosophical solution to the MBP proposed by Descartes, to be followed by an exposition of Ryle's criticisms to the solution. Second, from Ryle's criticism, I will deduce a scientific solution to the MBP related to the neural framework model of mind in cognitive science by means of what I call 'the principle of the embodiment of the mind.' Finally, I shall point out the philosophical difficulties that are to be found in using such a princip le. If I've reason, then the philosophical problems must let dissolve themselves without any rest, differently from others... — Ludwig Wittgenstein But this very attraction should make us suspicious: in the history of philosophy, attempts at showing a problem to be "pseudo-problem" have often encountered the very same difficulties that have beset attempts to solve the problem. — Hilary Putnam I - INTRODUCTION The psychophysical dualism or mind-body distinction is the counterposition between two essentially irreducible elements: soul and body. Such dualism implies, as we will show, the more discussed issue of philosophy of cognitive science and philosophy of mind: the mind-body problem (MBP, henceforth) whose the en... ...r and Zopf, Pergamon, p. 255-78, 1962). Atlan, H. Entre le Cristal et la Fumà ©e. Essai sur l'organisation du vivant. Ed. du Seuil, Paris, France, 1979. Churchland, D. P. Theories of Brain Function. In : Neurophilosophy: Towards a Unified Science of Mind and Brain, MIT Press, 1986. Descartes, R. Les Meditations Metaphysiques. Ec. Tannery & Adam: Librairie Philosophique L. Vrin, vol. IX -1, 1982. Gardner, H. The Mind's New Science: A History of Cognitive Revolution. New York, Basic Books, 1987. Guà ©roult, M. Descartes Selon l' Ordre de Raisons. Ed. Aubier, vol 1, Paris, 1964. Gonzales, M. E. Q. Neural networks and Mental Representation: An essay on Harmony and Rationality. In: Trans/ Form/Aà §Ãƒ £o, Sà £o Paulo, v. 14, p.93-108, 1991. Nagel, E. The Structure of Science: Problems in the Logic of Scientific Explanation. Routhledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1961.