What is Functionalism? Functionalism is one of the major proposals that have been offered as solutions to the mind/body problem. Solutions to the mind/body problem usually try to answer questions such as: What is the ultimate nature of the mental? At the most general level, what makes a mental state mental? Or more specifically, What do thoughts have in common in virtue of which they are thoughts? That is, what makes a thought a thought? What makes a pain a pain? (...) Cartesian Dualism said the ultimate nature of the mental was to be found in a special mental substance. Behaviorism identified mental states with behavioral dispositions; physicalism in its most influential version identifies mental states with brain states. Functionalism says that mental states are constituted by their causal relations to one another and to sensory inputs and behavioral outputs. Functionalism is one of the major theoretical developments of Twentieth Century analytic philosophy, and provides the conceptual underpinnings of much work in cognitive science. (shrink)

Some philosophers claim that the Judaeo-Christian God not only does not exist but could not exist. In support, they offer over various arguments to show that one or more of the properties commonly associated with this God are inconsistent. One such argument, for instance, says it is impossible to be perfectly just and merciful, since one is merciful precisely by being unjust in favor of those to whom one shows mercy. ;I suggest that the logical problems in question result from (...) assuming a popular view of God's nature---that God is the being, if any, who is supremely perfect . I develop an alternative view on which God is the being, if any, who satisfies a relational role specified by the texts of the tradition---the being who, in particular, accounts for the existence of the world, miracles and religious experiences; is worthy of awe, trust and love; and warrants worship and prayer. I argue that a being does not need the perfections to do these jobs and so escapes inconsistency. (shrink)