1. Undefeated dualism
- Author
-
Tomas Bogardus
- Subjects
Philosophy ,Prima facie ,Mind–body problem ,Dualism ,Phenomenal conservatism ,Defeater ,Materialism ,Explanatory gap ,Physicalism ,Epistemology - Abstract
In the standard thought experiments, dualism strikes many philosophers as true, including many non-dualists. This ‘striking’ generates prima facie justification: in the absence of defeaters, we ought to believe that things are as they seem to be, i.e. we ought to be dualists. In this paper, I examine several proposed undercutting defeaters for our dualist intuitions. I argue that each proposal fails, since each rests on a false assumption, or requires empirical evidence that it lacks, or overgenerates defeaters. By the end, our prima facie justification for dualism remains undefeated. I close with one objection concerning the dialectical role of rebutting defeaters, and I argue that the prospects for a successful rebutting defeater for our dualist intuitions are dim. Since dualism emerges undefeated, we ought to believe it. more...
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF