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Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T17:27:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Monica Aiub da Costa.pdf: 1133634 bytes, checksum: 2b3bbbb81de90d9935f6cff2e1982e44 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-16 / This work is dedicated to review the concept of semiosis in clinic, starting from the articulation of the concepts of plasticity, mental causation and semiosis in Charles Sanders Peirce's philosophy, and in neuroscience. Its development perceived the means of semiosis and its implications in therapy, especially in the mental causation issues, considering that physical states and mental states interact from semiotic processes, generating plasticity, both in cellular and cognitive levels. Were addressed, specially, the concepts of plasticity, mental causation and semiosis, articulated from Peirce's phenomenology, metaphysics and cosmology. The dialogue stablished between Peirce and neuroscience provided the magnification of the semiosis concept in clinical listening and its consequent implications in making diagnoses, since, starting from Peirce's contributions, semiosis can't be understood in a typological way, due to the fact of being an open system, an auto generated and creative network of signs, covering aspects from cells to incorporated technology, and constituting in a plastic way, continuous, in multiple interactions with innovations promoted by chance / Este trabalho dedica-se a uma revisão do conceito de semiose em clinica a partir da articulação dos conceitos de plasticidade, causação mental e semiose na filosofia de Charles Sanders Peirce e em neurociência. Seu desenvolvimento compreendeu as formas de semiose e suas implicações terapêuticas, em especial nas questões da causação mental, considerando que estados físicos e mentais interagem a partir dos processos semi6ticos, gerando plasticidade tanto em níveis celulares quanto cognitivos. Foram abordados, especialmente, os conceitos de plasticidade, causação mental e semiose, articulados a partir da fenomenologia, da metafisica e da cosmologia de Peirce. O dialogo estabelecido entre Peirce e a Neurociência propiciou a ampliação do conceito de semiose na escuta clinica e suas consequentes implicações na elaboração dos diagn6sticos, uma vez que, a partir das contribuições de Peirce, a semiose não pode ser compreendida de maneira tipol6gica devido ao fato de ser um sistema aberto, uma rede de signos autogerava e criativa, abarcando aspectos das células a tecnologia incorporada e constituindo-se de maneira plástica, contínua, em múltiplas interações com as novidades promovidas pelo acaso

This thesis presents a defense of the view that externalism cannot be a theoretical basis of a mentalistic causal-explanatory science, even though such a theoretical basis is implicitly or explicitly adopted by many cognitive scientists. Externalism is a theory in philosophy of mind which states that mental properties are relations between the core realizers of an individual&rsquo / s mental states (such as brain states) and certain things that exist outside those realizers (such as what the content of a mental state corresponds to in the actual world.) After clarifications regarding the term &ldquo / externalism&rdquo / and reviewing the history and the various forms of the externalist theory, it is argued that the properties offered by externalist theories as mental properties have no causal influence on behavior, and therefore cannot causally explain it. The argument is largely based on a method of comparing the causal powers of entities which are identical in all respects except their mental properties (as construed by externalism), and the conclusions are supported by metaphysical reflections on causation, dispositions, relational properties and historical properties. Objections to the defended view are considered and refuted. The thesis is written in the style of modern analytic philosophy.

abstract: Russellian monism is a promising theory of consciousness that attempts to capture the strengths of both physicalism and dualism while avoiding their weaknesses. I begin by showing that the Russellian monist’s chief anti-physicalist rival, emergentism, is unable to give an adequate solution to the exclusion problem. Specifically, they fall prey to what I call “the opacity problem.” That is, because the emergentist is committed to there being both a sufficient physical cause and a sufficient mental cause for our actions, it is unclear what difference the mental cause is making in bringing about the effect. This is because, for the physical cause to truly be a sufficient cause, it must be sufficient to bring about the effect as it occurred. This distinguishes mental overdetermination from non-problematic kinds of overdetermination (like double rock throwing cases). I then show how the constitutive Russellian monist is able to avoid the exclusion problem, while the emergent Russellian monist faces similar opacity problems to emergentism. Finally, I give an account of how the constitutive Russellian monist can give a response to the strongest objection against—the subject-summing problem. I argue that we only have translucent access to our conscious states—that is, only part of the essential nature of the state is revealed to us through introspection. I then argue that we have reason to think that part of the essential nature of the conscious state not revealed to us is involved in subject-summing. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Philosophy 2018

abstract: This thesis explores the conceptual span and plausibility of emergence and its applicability to the problem of mental causation. The early parts of the project explicate a distinction between weak and strong emergence as described by Jaegwon Kim. They also consider Kim's objections regarding the conceptual incoherence of strong emergence and the otiose nature of weak emergence. The paper then explores Mark Bedau's in-between conception of emergence and ultimately finds that middle conception to be both coherent and useful. With these three emergence distinctions in hand, the thesis goes on to explore Evan Thompson's recent work - Mind in Life (2010). In that work, Thompson advances a strong emergence approach to mind, whereby he concludes the incipient stages of cognition are found at the most basic levels of life, namely - biologic cells. Along the way, Thompson embraces holism and a nonfundamental/nonhierarchical physics in order to counter Jaegwon Kim's objections to the notion of downward causation needed for strong emergence. The thesis presents arguments against Thompson's holism and nonfundamental physics, while supporting his assertion regarding the incipient stages of cognition. It then combines an important distinction between mental causation and the experience of mental causation with Thompson's notion of incipient cognition to arrive at a dual realms approach to understanding mental causation. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Philosophy 2013

This dissertation explores the relationship between mental properties and physicalism to confront the apparent inconsistency between mental realism and the tenets of physicalism. As I see it, the major obstacle to fully integrating mental properties into physicalism is the feasibility of downward mental causation. Specifically, stringent physicalists find it contradictory to maintain that the mind can affect the body without contradicting the tenets of physicalism. This inconsistency claim is most notably addressed in the Causal Exclusion Argument. Though I am not personally committed to physicalism as an absolute worldview, I respect its prevalence and the reasons for its dominance. Rather than reject physicalism, I approach the puzzle with epistemological humility and attempt to work within the scope of physicalism. This exploration involves critically examining physicalism’s leading mental-physical relationships, focusing on emergence as a plausible means to reconcile mental and physical properties without undermining either. Ultimately, I propose a modified form of physicalism that maintains its metaphysical and epistemological theses but in a milder form that is more conducive to emergent mental phenomena and the aspects of reality that are nonlinear and indeterminate. Guided by the work of Jaegwon Kim and Gerald Vision, this dissertation moves beyond their ideas, challenging reductionist perspectives within physicalism. The key contribution is the introduction of Dynamically Stable Causal Holism (or DSC Holism in brief), which represents a significant departure from traditional reductionist approaches, promoting a more holistic understanding of physicalism. Through nonlinear emergence and DSC Holism, I confront the Causal Exclusion Argument. A secondary original contribution is my approach to these puzzles. I integrate and synthesize concepts from the philosophy of science and special sciences to offer a fresh perspective on physically compatible mental realism and downward causation. / Philosophy

Searle’s theory of Biological Naturalism has been largely ignored in the philosophical literature and Searle’s commentators are confused by his seemingly contradictory views. In this dissertation I attempt to make sense of Biological Naturalism. In chapter 2 I will ascertain which concerns prevent Searle’s readers from understanding his position. The remaining chapters aim to dissolve the tensions and dispel any confusion. Chapter 3 considers Searle’s notion of first-person ontology, finding that it expresses a belief that experiences are essentially subjective and qualitative. In chapter 4 I consider the notions of levels of description, causal reduction and what Searle means by causation and realisation. Chapter 5 turns to the question of how to categorise Searle’s position. Many of his critics charge him with being a property dualist. By highlighting the difference between the meaning of irreducibility intended by the property dualist and Searle I show that there is sufficient difference in their use of the term so as to reject an interpretation of Biological Naturalism as a form of property dualism. Chapter 6 is where I turn to the other end of the physicalism/dualism spectrum and assess whether Searle should be seen as holding a form of identity theory. I first argue for a neutral form of identity that I call real identity, which does not include the inherent reductive privileging of standard identity. I then argue that Searle should be seen as advocating a form of real identity theory; a form of token identity theory which does not privilege the physical over the mental. In chapter 7 I return to the main barriers to making sense of Biological Naturalism which I identified in chapter 2 and lay out my response to each. I conclude with a coherent interpretation of Searle’s position.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2017-07-04T11:33:40Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Cínthia Roso Oliveira_.pdf: 1706511 bytes, checksum: 1a1617a80917349cfb5347c0c3474a67 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-04T11:33:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cínthia Roso Oliveira_.pdf: 1706511 bytes, checksum: 1a1617a80917349cfb5347c0c3474a67 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-04-06 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / PROSUP - Programa de Suporte à Pós-Gradução de Instituições de Ensino Particulares / O objetivo desta tese é investigar se há uma relação mente-corpo e, se sim, como podemos caracterizá-la. No primeiro capítulo, investigamos em que sentido há um problema mente e corpo, pois se compreendermos que os conceitos mentais são confusos e podem ser eliminados, ou que são significativos, mas podem ser reduzidos às explicações dos processos físicos no corpo, não faz sentido dizer que há um problema mente-corpo. No entanto, os qualia são aspectos mentais que resistem à eliminação ou à redução. Além disso, se compreendermos que a ideia de causação é um princípio epistêmico e que não se refere, de fato, a coisas no mundo que se relacionam, investigar uma possível interferência metafísica da mente, em especial dos qualia, no corpo também não faria sentido. No segundo capítulo, investigamos possíveis explicações para a conexão psicofísica que faz com que a mente em geral, e os qualia em particular, pareça influenciar os nossos comportamentos. A perspectiva dualista substancial seria insatisfatória, dentre outros problemas, na medida em que a explicação de como se dá a conexão psicofísica depende da aceitação da existência de Deus, algo questionável. Investigamos, então, algumas propostas monistas que defendem uma perspectiva não-reducionista em relação aos eventos mentais. As perspectivas de Davidson e Chalmers mostram-se frágeis em explicar o poder causal dos eventos mentais e, embora Kim consiga evitar o problema do epifenomenismo, ele assume uma posição eliminativista quanto aos qualia, o que não resolveria o problema. No terceiro capítulo, procuramos avaliar em que sentido a perspectiva não-reducionista de David Bohm sobre a relação mente-corpo conseguiria responder ao problema do epifenomenismo. Para ele, os aspectos mental e material existem um em participação com o outro na realidade e aí está a base da compreensão do ‘poder causal do mental’, que, como potencial atividade da informação, tem o poder de permitir que uma informação ativa nova atualize-se, alterando o seu aspecto material. A partir dessa perspectiva, pode-se compreender a consciência fenomênica como um tipo de ordem implícita muito sutil e complexa, que pode emergir de ordens implícitas menos sutis, as quais apresentam aspecto quase-mental. No quarto capítulo, argumentamos que a participação mente-corpo pode ser considerada uma conexão causal, compreendendo-a como uma categoria de causação, que estabelece um vínculo particular entre duas coisas, o que seria compatível com a novidade qualitativa que existe na ação humana. Neste capítulo ainda, defendemos que a perspectiva de Bohm sobre a participação mente-matéria na informação ativa pode ser compreendida como uma interação entre as quatro causas: formal, final, eficiente e material. As quatro funcionam como uma causação única, modificando-se a si mesma enquanto outra. E isso explicaria a capacidade que os seres humanos têm de automodificarem-se e, consequentemente, o poder causal dos qualia de interferir no comportamento humano. Por fim, no quinto capítulo, argumentamos que o ser humano pode ser compreendido como um sistema complexo que se auto-organiza mediante as suas relações com o mundo. Estabelecemos a relação entre a autocausação no sistema humano como um tipo de auto-organização secundária (de acordo com Debrun), que pressupõe a recriação de sua própria forma. Sustentamos, ademais, que a relação entre os diversos níveis hierárquicos de organização no ser humano dá-se por causação circular, na qual as partes interferem no todo, e ele, por sua vez, retroage sobre as partes, permitindo a emergência de novas propriedades. Além disso, esclarecemos que só podemos compreender a participação mente e corpo no ser humano como uma auto-organização de um sistema complexo em um mundo. Consideramos que também, entre o ser humano e o mundo (este compreendido como um ambiente natural e cultural, que inclui diversos sistemas, inclusive, outros seres humanos), há causação circular, dentre vários outros tipos de determinação. Portanto, a resposta apresentada para o problema mente-corpo é que a mente, incluindo os qualia, não pode ser reduzida aos processos físicos do corpo. A consciência fenomênica, como aspecto mental por excelência, refere-se à subjetividade da experiência do ser humano no mundo; só ele pode saber o que ele sente com as suas experiências e como as sente. Esse nível fenomênico emergiria de um nível protofenomênico, no qual já há um aspecto mental (quase-mental) compreendido como potencial atividade da informação, considerado como uma interação das causas eficiente, formal e final, que, ao interagirem com a causa material, aspecto material (atual atividade da informação), produzem uma mudança em si mesmos qua outro. Essa compreensão do aspecto mental como potencial atividade da informação permite compreender o poder causal do aspecto mental e como o nível fenomênico emerge dos níveis protofenomênicos da realidade, os qualia, aspectos mentais de sistemas complexos como o ser humano, podem ser compreendidos como exibindo um poder causal sobre o corpo. / The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether there is a mind-body relationship and, if so, how we can characterize it. In the first chapter we investigate in what sense there is a mind-body problem, for if we understand that mental concepts are confusing and can be eliminated, or that they are significant, but can be reduced to the explanations of physical processes in the body, it does not make sense to say that there is a mind-body problem. However, qualia are mental aspects that resist elimination or reduction. Furthermore, if we understand that the idea of causation is an epistemic principle and does not actually refer to things in the world, investigating a possible interference of mind, especially of qualia, into body would also make no sense. In the second chapter, we investigate possible explanations for the psychophysical connection that makes mind in general, and qualia in particular, seem to influence our behaviors. Substantial dualistic perspective would be unsatisfactory, among other problems, insofar as the explanation of how the psychophysical connection takes place depends on accepting the existence of God, which is something questionable. We then investigate some monistic proposals that advocate a non-reductionist perspective on mental events. The perspectives of Davidson and Chalmers are fragile in explaining the causal power of mental events; and although Kim is able to avoid the problem of epiphenomenalism, he assumes an eliminativist position on qualia, which would not solve the problem. In the third chapter, we tried to evaluate in what sense David Bohm’s non-reductionist perspective on the mind-body relationship could answer to the problem of epiphenomenalism. For him, the mental and material aspects exist in participation with each other in reality, and therein lies the basis of the understanding of the ‘causal power of the mental’, which, as a potential activity of information, has the power to allow active information update itself by changing its material aspect. From this perspective, we can comprehend the phenomenal consciousness as a very subtle and complex sort of implicate order, that may emerge from less subtle implicate orders which have a mind-like aspect. In the fourth chapter, we argue that mind-body participation can be considered a causal connection, understanding it as a category of causation that establishes a particular link between two things, which would be compatible with the qualitative novelty that exists in human action. In this chapter we further argue that Bohm’s perspective on mind-matter participation in active information can be understood as an interaction between the four causes: formal, final, efficient, and material. They function as a single causation, modifying itself as being another. And this would explain the ability of humans to self-cause and, consequently, the causal power of qualia to interfere with human behavior. Finally, in the fifth chapter, we argue that the human being can be understood as a complex system that organizes itself through its relations with the world. We establish the relation between self-causation in the human system as a kind of secondary self-organization (according to Debrun), which presupposes the re-creation of its own form. We maintain that the relationship between the various hierarchical levels of organization in the human being occur by circular causation in which the parts interfere in the whole, and this, in turn, retroacts on the parts, allowing the emergence of new properties. In addition, we clarify that we can only understand the mind-body participation in the human being as a self-organization of a complex system in a world. We also consider that there is circular causation, among other types of determination, between the human being and the world (understood as a natural and cultural environment that includes several systems, besides other human beings). So the answer presented to the mind-body problem is that the mind, including qualia, cannot be reduced to the physical processes of the body. The phenomenal consciousness, as the mental aspect par excellence, refers to the subjectivity of the experience of human beings in the world; only one can know what and how they feel with their experiences. This phenomenal level would emerge from a protophenomenal level, in which there is already a mental (mind-like) aspect understood as a potential activity of information, considered as an efficient, formal and final interaction of causes, that when interacting with material cause, material aspect (actual active information), produces a change in oneself qua another. This understanding of the mental aspect as a potential activity of information enables us to understand the causal power of the mental aspect and as the phenomenal level emerges from the protophenomenal levels of reality, the qualia, mental aspect of complex systems like human beings, can be understood as exhibiting a causal power over the body.

It has often been argued that John Searle’s theory of mind, biological naturalism, due to its commitment to mental irreducibility amounts to no more than disguised property dualism. I suggest that a thorough analysis of Searle’s somewhat unusual views on the nature of reduction reveals this irreducibility to be not a metaphysical relation between mental properties and physical but one concerned only with the semantics of the respective terms used to refer to these. As a result, I argue, irreducibility in his sense is insufficient to support a metaphysical conclusion like property dualism. Finally, to reinforce this point I give a concrete example of a potential physicalist view which is compatible with the analysis of irreducibility as semantic but not as metaphysical and hence on my reasoning remains open to Searle.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Anomalous monism is a theory in the philosophy of mind put forth by Donald Davidson in the 1970s. Although influential at the time, it received numerous criticisms, and it is now widely rejected. The present Master s Dissertation argues for a revision of the reasons for which anomalous monism should be rejected. According to a well known objection in the literature, anomalous monism entails the thesis of property epiphenomenalism, and should be rejected because this consequence is unacceptable. It is proposed that this objection is inadequate in its two crucial steps. First, property epiphenomenalism does not seem to follow from anomalous monism, and, second, there seems to be no sufficient reason for a decisive rejection of property epiphenomenalism. Despite this, there are alternative reasons for rejecting anomalous monism, which concern the justification of the monist thesis. At least one of the premises Davidson takes to support it appears to be false, and, additionally, the very possibility of the monism at issue is threatened by problems in the ontology of events it assumes. / O monismo anômalo é uma teoria em filosofia da mente proposta por Donald Davidson na década de 1970. Embora influente na época, essa teoria recebeu inúmeras críticas e é atualmente amplamente rejeitada. A presente dissertação argumenta em favor de uma revisão das razões pelas quais o monismo anômalo deve ser rejeitado. De acordo com uma objeção bem conhecida na literatura, o monismo anômalo implica a tese do epifenomenismo de propriedades e deve ser rejeitado porque essa consequência é inaceitável. Propõe-se que essa objeção é inadequada em seus dois passos cruciais. Em primeiro lugar, o epifenomenismo de propriedades não parece se seguir do monismo anômalo, e, em segundo, não parece haver razões suficientes para uma rejeição decisiva do epifenomenismo de propriedades. Apesar disso, há razões alternativas para se rejeitar o monismo anômalo, que dizem respeito à justificação da tese monista. Pelo menos uma das premissas que Davidson empregou em sua defesa parece falsa, e, adicionalmente, a própria possibilidade do monismo em questão é ameaçada por dificuldades na ontologia de eventos que pressupõe.