Eliminative Materialism

Eliminative materialism research papers discuss the philosophy or the psychology behind the concept. Paper Masters will custom write a research paper on any aspect of eliminative materialism that you need.

Eliminative Materialism is the view that propositional attitudes should be eliminated from cognitive science. In its most sophisticated version, eliminative materialism argues that our commonsense beliefs about the mind constitute a kind of primitive theory called a "folk psychology". Eliminative materialism holds that there are no such things as conscious mental phenomenon, and that we should eliminate all mental references. It explicitly denies the existence of the mind or of mental states such as beliefs, desires, etc. Eliminative materialism works to make earlier theories invalid or replaced by new ones. Some examples of this kind of elimination are:

• The theory of demonic possession being eliminated by the theory of mental disease
• The theory of phlogiston being eliminated by the discovery of oxygen as the cause of combustion
• Creationism being eliminated by evolution as an explanation of the earth's history

Folk Psychology and Eliminative Materialism

Eliminative materialism can be objected to for several reasons. It takes the position that folk psychology is a false theory and that corresponding notions such as belief, experience, and sensation are fundamentally mistaken. Because it advocates the elimination of concepts that are embraced such as belief, dreams, and desires, one might be lead to endorse the more subjective viewpoint of folk psychology. Eliminative materialism's view of how the mind and mental phenomena are conceived amounts to a seriously inadequate theory which is in conflict with a (materialistic) scientific account of those same things. Many philosophers, particularly functionalists, object to eliminating the categories of belief and desire from our conceptual landscape.

Research on Eliminative Materialism

There are historical cases that point to the elimination of old theories in favor of new preferred theories. Research by Paper Masters cites the example of a popular eighteenth and nineteenth century theory on body heat. The belief that heat was a fluid in the body and could flow not only within the body but also from one body to another. Present theory insists that heat is not a fluid but the kinetic energies produced by the trillions of molecules moving within the body. Basically the new kinetic theory has eliminated the caloric theory since caloric fluid is now unidentifiable.

Research by Paper Masters concludes then that folk psychology, which entails joy, faith, pain, fear, desire, and belief, is destined for similar fate when applied against the theory of eliminative materialism. By basing behavior on the neuropharmacological states a conceptual revolution towards understanding the basis of emotions, causes of mental illness, and intelligence would give substance towards better understanding of other humans and a more peaceful world.

Research by Paper Masters prefaces arguments for eliminative materialism as stronger than most perceive. This is because the denial of the folk psychology framework to that of the neuroscience framework and this is based on the thinking that folk psychology is nothing more than primitive and perplexing concepts designed to prove the state of internal activities. Eliminative materialism typically supports the evidence of folk psychology's use of manipulation to hide its failures.

The three reasons given to support the eliminative materialists' opinion begins with this such thinking.

1. Folk psychology simplifies concepts without looking for the answers to the deeper mysteries entailed. The second reason is the refuting of other folk theories that have been proven wrong.
2. Research and technology have refuted most of the other folk perceptions except for folk psychology, which is surly on its way to being extinguished.
3. A final reason puts all focus by the eliminative materialist on the probability that no match ups for a matured neuroscience will be found in the theory of folk psychology.
   

Arguments against eliminative materialism are considered radical at best. According to Research by Paper Masters, one's ability to sense pain or fear places an obvious existence to each feeling. The biggest argument against eliminative materialism however, is based in the theory itself. If eliminative materialism is true than the principles of this theory actually negate itself. Research by Paper Masters finds either arguments more of joke than withholding any credence. One can perceive though through a cynical perspective its validity.

Thorough examination of the eliminative materialism theory can be understood to exaggerate its positions on many of the principles in the competing theories. Future research and reduction of the neurosciences will either confer or void the eliminative theory.