Conceivability, Possibility and Materialism Cover Image

POJMOWALNOŚĆ, MOŻLIWOŚĆ I MATERIALIZM
Conceivability, Possibility and Materialism

Author(s): Karol Polcyn
Subject(s): Metaphysics
Published by: Instytut Filozofii Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: type-B materialism; conceivability; possibility; phenomenal concepts; primary intention; David Chalmers;

Summary/Abstract: Materialism is the view according to which a zombie world is metaphysically impossible. Assuming that zombies are conceivable in the sense that we cannot rule out a priori that our world is a zombie world, materialists must hold that a zombie world is metaphysically impossible despite being conceivable. There are no good reasons to think that this view (type-B materialism) is false, since there are no good reasons to think that the corresponding phenomenal and physical/functional concepts cannot be distinct concepts of the same thing. Nonetheless, we cannot understand how type-B materialism can be true. We cannot understand this, because we cannot in principle explain how a zombie world could be impossible despite being conceivable.

  • Issue Year: 19/2022
  • Issue No: 73
  • Page Range: 20-34
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Polish