Phil 255: Midterm I Questions

Six of the following questions will be on the midterm. You will have to answer five of them. Each will be worth 6% of your final grade. You will have 80 minutes to answer them in class.

1. Name and describe Descartes preferred methodology for examining the mind. What did he conclude using this methodology and (briefly) why? Name two problems with Descartes method and/or conclusion. Give two reasons why his view held such sway.
2. Who is James' main target and why? Name and describe in some detail two of James' characters of consciousness. Note what he concludes from each of these aspects of consciousness.
3. What was Watson trying to do in the 'Little Albert' experiment? Show how this experiment incorporates or demonstrates three of the central aspects of behaviourism.
4. What is a category mistake? Give one example. What is the category mistake that Ryle felt was common in philosophy of mind? What is the 'puzzling element' in thinking? What does Ryle think dualists were mislead to posit metaphysically and why? What is the difference between Ryle's and Watson's forms of behaviourism?
5. Name and describe in some detail three problems with behaviourism.
6. Name and describe the three uses of 'is' identified by Place and give an example of each (that are not in his essay, the text, or the class notes). What is the relevance of this analysis to Place's main thesis in this paper why?
7. What is the difference between type and token identity theory? Which were identity theorists arguing for? What reasons did Smart give for holding identity theory? What was Armstrong's contribution to establishing the plausibility of identity theory?
8. Why does Putnam think Turing machines are important for psychology? Give two reasons why Putnam thinks implementation is irrelevant to psychology? What example does he use to establish the irrelevance of physical explanation and how does it help do so (describe it)?
9. Give two examples of thought experiments used to discredit functionalism and describe how they are supposed to do so. Describe 3 common difficulties with thought experiments and show at least one applies in each of the previous two examples.