Philosophy of Mind is Very Different Now
Joshua Knobe,
Daily Nous,
Dec 03, 2024
Joshua Knobe sets up the distinction by contrasting what "the norms and institutions" perceive as 'core' with what jobseekers are apparently doing, that is, "purely a priori work in the metaphysics of mind" addressing questions like "the mind-body problem, consciousness, the nature of intentionality, etc." versus "some kind of empirical approach" looking at "how some specific aspect of the mind actually works". I see his point, but constructed as it is, it's a straw man. Almost nobody does "purely a priori work" any more, and the major questions are (to my mind at least) mostly solved: there is no mind-body distinction, consciousness is experience, and intentionality is representation. Meanwhile, though, the idea of "how some specific aspect of the mind actually works" is rife with conceptual confusion. The people who do understand the latest empirical work are asking questions that will not (necessarily) be resolved experimentally, questions like "how do we measure 'intelligence'?", "do 'beliefs' really exist?" and "what does it mean to be an 'agent'?"
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