Economics Dictionary of ArgumentsHome
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| Brains in a vat, philosophy: thought experiment of Hilary Putnam (in Reason, truth and history, New York, Cambridge University Press, 1981) in which brains are floating in a nutrient solution while the reality is simulated through electrical impulses. It is about the question whether we can be sure not to be in such a situation. See also skepticism, reference, knowledge, causal theory of knowledge._____________Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments. | |||
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W. Poundstone on Brains in a Vat - Dictionary of Arguments
I 318 Brains in the Vat/Poundstone: each object then means electrical pulses (only different sequence), then also "brain" - then the reference of "I'm a brain in a vat" also electrical pulse sequence and not the brain. >Reference, >Meaning, >Knowledge, >Certainty, >Skepticism. So the sentence is wrong, because we are not pulses. Poundstone/Solution: "I am what they call a "Brain in the vat" in lab speak". Problem: "Lab speak" is metaphysical. >Levels/order, >Description Levels, >Metalanguage, >Theory Language. I 340 The theory of brains in a vat has no predictive power. - As little as the cipher "iii..." - because everything depends on electrical pulses. >Code. The next apple may fall upwards; because it is moved by an electrical pulse and not by gravity. >Induction, >Causation._____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
Poundstone I William Poundstone Labyrinths of Reason, NY, 1988 German Edition: Im Labyrinth des Denkens Hamburg 1995 |
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