Trying_To_Put_One_Label_on_Two_Ideas__Functionalism’s_Failur

Trying To Put One Label on Two Ideas: Functionalism’s Failure as a Monist Theory Trying To Put One Label on Two Ideas: Functionalism’s Failure as a Monist Theory Functionalism is defined as an inherently monist theory of the mind. Functionalism rejects classic dualism due to the interaction problem (Pojman 1998). Functionalists believe that we will be able to understand the brain on the nature of the theoretical interface between neuroscience and psychology (Churchland). Pojman says that functionalism is the “heir to behaviourism”. Pojman also states that behaviourists either deny that mental events exist, or they deny their importance. However, functionalists state that there is a brain state and a mental state, which act in a causal relationship. They argue that the input-output relationship exists in a broader sense than an environmental input and behavioural output relationship (Pojman 1998). Functionalists hope to characterize psychological states in terms of their causal connections to behaviour, to stimuli, and to other mental states (Sober 1990). I shall argue that Functionalism is a dualist theory. Functionalism is a dualist theory because it advocates a mental state and a brain state, which have a causal relationship interacting through computations. It fails as a theory because it must mental, state, functionalism, states, brain, theory, relationship, functionalists, causal, through, physical, monist, interaction, idea, because, qualia, pojman, dualist, must, mind, explain, events, computations, 1990, two, sober, since, same, role, psychological, produce, however, functionalist, dualism, deny, computational, change, argue, 1998, unless, tries, singular, show, sense, says, results, result, rely, red, processes