1934 – 2019
Jaegwon Kim (1934-2019) was a Korean-American philosopher known for his influential work in metaphysics and philosophy of mind. He is best known for his arguments against non-reductive physicalism and for developing the causal exclusion argument, which challenges the causal efficacy of mental properties.
Developed the causal exclusion argument against non-reductive physicalism
Formulated influential theory of events as property exemplifications
Advanced supervenience as a key concept in philosophy of mind
Authored 'Mind in a Physical World' and 'Physicalism, or Something Near Enough'
Contributed foundational work on mental causation and the mind-body problem
We must distinguish between the radical empiricist's meaning of 'meaning' (epistemic reduction) and a more common-sensical meaning of 'meaning' (factual reference).
claimThere is no viable conception of vector properties on which vector properties are both necessarily extrinsic and capable of being fundamental