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The Identity Theory
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Free Essay Submitted by bignerds on 06/28/2008 08:11 PM
- Category: Psychology
- Words: 848
- Pages: 4
- Views: 28
- Popularity Rank: 944
The Identity Theory
The identity theory, also known as reductive materialism, is one of the views
Churchland uses to describe mind-brain correlation. Churchland believes that
the mental states of the body are one and in the same (double aspectism) with
brain states. They are the same because the biochemical actions produced in
brain states (release of serotonin and acetylcholine) have direct interaction with
the mental states (mood disorders such as depression). With the help of
psychological and physiological evidence the identity theory can be better
supported. It has not yet been proven but following along with the symptoms,
diagnosis, and treatment of biochemical disorders of the brain the identity theory
has a strong case towards becoming reality.
Reductive materialism is known to be the reducing of mental activity into
physical activity. In its simplest form thoughts are just states of the brain. This is
basically a similar form of Descartes line, "I think, therefore I am" or vice versa.
Churchland first tries to parallel the identity theory with sound and light.
"We now know that sound is just a train of compression waves traveling through
the air..." (BR323). Society does know or has some common sense notion of
how sound travels, yet we still consider it just "sound". Even though we are not
automatically thinking when we here a sound, "it is waves traveling through air",
we are aware to the fact that is how sound travels. This parallelism is
intertheoretic reduction; taking an older version of reductive materialism and
using it to help explain a newer version, Churchland's identity theory.
Neural activity and neuroscience play a major role in the identity theory.
"...the correct account of human-behavior-and-its-causes must reside in the
physical neurosciences" (MR324). Neurosciences and cognitive psychology
have been...
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