Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Belief in other minds can be justified by extrapolating f... — Carmelics
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Home/Consciousness & Mind
    HistoryEditSee Inverse

    Belief in other minds can be justified by extrapolating from one's own case via correlation between mental states and behaviour

    Consciousness & MindTruth & Knowledge
    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    2 reasons against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.I know that certain of my mental states are correlated with certain pieces of behaviour
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Others exhibit similar behaviour to my own
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Inductive inference from a single case (oneself) to all other minds violates the logical requirement of a sufficiently large and varied sample.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.The argument assumes the very regularity it seeks to establish: that mental-behavioural correlations in one being generalize across numerically distinct beings.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Wittgenstein's private language argument establishes that mental state concepts are themselves constituted by public, behavioural criteria, making introspective 'knowledge of one's own case' already theory-laden.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.If the basis of the analogy (privileged first-person access to pure mental states) is incoherent, the analogical inference collapses before it can begin.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Sign in or register to share your perspective on this statement.

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.

    Topics

    Consciousness & MindTruth & Knowledge

    Related

    I know that certain of my mental states are correlated with certain pieces of be...If the basis of the analogy (privileged first-person access to pure mental state...Inductive inference from a single case (oneself) to all other minds violates the...Others exhibit similar behaviour to my own
    +2 moreShow less
    The argument assumes the very regularity it seeks to establish: that mental-beha...Wittgenstein's private language argument establishes that mental state concepts ...

    Similar

    Postulating mental states in others is justified as the best explanati...84%Our belief in other minds appears to be grounded solely on the observe...82%It is appropriate to attribute mental states in the explanation of beh...79%Humans understand the mental states of others by drawing on a tacit th...79%

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: dualism
    View source passageHide passage
    The third problem concerns the rationality of belief in epiphenomenalism, via its effect on the problem of other minds. It is natural to say that I know that I have mental states because I experience them directly. But how can I justify my belief that others have them? The simple version of the ‘argument from analogy’ says that I can extrapolate from my own case. I know that certain of my mental states are correlated with certain pieces of behaviour, and so I infer that similar behaviour in othe
    Extraction notes

    Validity: Extracted via Max plan + API grounding/validity checks

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (1 for, 2 against)
    Edits
    1 edit