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No Such Thing as Too Many Minds.

Authors :
Roelofs, Luke
Source :
Australasian Journal of Philosophy; Mar2024, Vol. 102 Issue 1, p131-146, 16p
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Many philosophical views have the surprising implication that, within the boundaries of each human being, there is not just one mind, but many: anywhere from two (the person and their brain, or the person and their body) to trillions (each of the nearly-entirely-overlapping precise entities generated by the Problem of the Many). This is often treated as absurd, a problem of 'Too Many Minds', which we must find ways to avoid. It is often thought specifically absurd to allow such a multiplication of conscious subjects, even if we could accept it for physical objects. I consider metaphysical, phenomenological, and moral arguments for this asymmetry, and show that they all fail: many overlapping conscious minds is no more problematic than many overlapping physical objects. Theories that imply such a multiplicity may or may not be true, but they cannot be rejected simply for implying it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00048402
Volume :
102
Issue :
1
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Australasian Journal of Philosophy
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
176495379
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1080/00048402.2022.2084758