Wheres does the problem of other minds (solipcism) come from?
It comes from Cartesian (substance) dualism which adopts the veiw that the mind and body are seperate, through the cogito descartes establishes that he is a 'thinking thing' but is unable to be sure that others are minded.
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What are the arguments for substance dualism?
Privacy privalleged access,qualia, intentionality
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What does Qualia have to do with other minds?
Other minds presents the problem of other qualia, whether others have the same feelings of qualia as I do or are they just (p)Zombies
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What is the first solution to the POM
The argument from anaology, by Mill, states that I know through introspection that I am minded and therefore by observing others behaviour I can infer through their outward demanour that they are too minded.
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How does this argument go?
Take someone who falls over on an icy day, first their is modification to the body, they trip and fall, then there is a feeling or embarrassment and a reaction that they blush.
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How does this help solve the problem of other minds?
If i witness someone fall over on an icy day and observe their outward demanour I can infer what they are feeling due to whitness stage 1 and three i can infere stage 2 of what they are feeling.
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What are the objections to this argument?
This argument is an inductive argument, an inferial conclusion drawn from expereince, usually when we argue inductively we draw a conclusion from a large number of examples but this arguments conclusion is drawn from one example of a self expereince.
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Why is this a problem?
Consequently this is a weak basis for an inductive argument and would be stronger as an abductive argument of an inference to the best explanantion with evidence provided.
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Is this argument pointless?
If i do accept that your behaviour is indicative of your mental states eg embarrsement is simply a tendacy to blush then why do I need to argue analogously?
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Does the argument get anywhere?
If i dont accept that your behaviour necessarily indicated your mental states then I can't conclude that just because your'e blushing you must be embarrassed!
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More objections?
starting from my own case seems problematic, can I know what embarrsemenet is pureply by introspection, would a solipcist be able to say I am embarrassed?
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What is the main problem of this argument?
The main problem is that it is trying to defeat the radical privacy accosiated with dualism/
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What is another argument against solipcism?
The private language argument put forth by Wittgenstein. It attacks the root of the cartesian starting point
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