Okuzeka
Philosophy vocabulary · Philosophy of Mind

Physicalism

Meaning in philosophy, with examples

/ˈfɪzɪkəlɪzəm/nounCommon term

In philosophy, physicalism means: The view that everything that exists is physical or depends entirely on the physical, so that the mind is ultimately part of the physical world.

In Turkish: fizikalizm, fizikselcilik

How it is used

Today the most widely held position in philosophy of mind. Often used interchangeably with materialism, although physicalism stresses whatever physics describes rather than just matter. Versions include identity theory and non-reductive physicalism.

Example sentences

  1. If physicalism is true, then pain is nothing over and above a brain state.

  2. Frank Jackson designed the Mary's room argument as an objection to physicalism.

Common collocations

  • reductive physicalism
  • non-reductive physicalism
  • physicalism about the mind
  • reject physicalism
  • dualismThe view that the mind and the body are fundamentally different kinds of thing, so that mental states are not simply physical states.
  • mind-body problemThe question of how the mind, with its thoughts and feelings, is related to the body and especially to the brain.
  • functionalismThe view that a mental state is defined by what it does, its causal role between inputs, other mental states and behavior, rather than by what it is made of.
  • qualiaThe subjective qualities of conscious experience, such as how the redness of red looks or how a headache feels to the person who has it.

More terms: Philosophy of Mind

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: