more stuff on the mind. i know its getting old, but i need something to write about.

Now I'll illustrate the benefits of functionalism.

There are some different forms of functionalism, but in this post I will be referring to machine functionalism. This form of functionalism is a substrate neutral theory of mental states. Its believers hold that the type of substance performing the function has no bearing on whether or not there exists within that thing mental states. To make this more clear, a machine functionalist believes that the brain is not the only thing capable of having mental states. A computer able to perform the same functions that a human brain can, would indeed have mental states. If a computer were able to replicate the functional role that pain serves in the human body and brain, than a machine functionalist would say that the computer actually is in pain.

Functionalism effectively solves the problem of multiple realizability and the plasticity of the human brain. Just because the brain damaged patient mentioned below is in two different brain states, it does not mean to a functionalist that he is in two different mental states. A functionalist holds that because in both cases the patient is truly recognizing his mother, he is indeed in the same mental state.

This theory also allows for artificial intelligence. If a machine can replicate the functional roles that brain states have, then it has mental states. This is because functionalism interprets mental states not by what the brain is doing at that time, but by what function the mental state is serving. The physical substance doing the thinking does not matter.

So functionalism solves the problem of multiple realizability that still seems a problem for the type identity theory of the mind. But it's still not a perfect theory. I'll illustrate the disadvantages in my next post.