On test day, you will be asked to answer 2 questions one from each group below. THE QUESTIONS WILL BE RANDOMLY SELECTED. This means you should prepare an answer to each question below.
The test will be closed book, closed notes. You will have 60 minutes to finish, so plan to spend approximately half that time on each question.
Group 1.
1. Explain the distinction between syntax and semantics. Give two reasons to think that the mind is a Ôsyntactic engineÕ, and explain what Haugeland means when he writes: ÒIf you take care of the syntax, the semantics will take care of itself.Ó
2. Explain what machine functionalism (or just functionalism) is. Explain the challenge to functionalism posed by either SearleÕs ÒChinese RoomÓ argument or BlockÕs ÒChinese populationÓ argument? Assess that challenge and how it might be answered.
3. What is the physical symbol system hypothesis? What do you think the strongest objection to it is? Assess the hypothesis in light of this objection.
Group 2.
4. Fodor offers a number of arguments for why there must be a language of thought or mental representation. Assess ONE of these arguments in light of DennettÕs concern about Ômisplaced concretenessÕ or ChurchlandÕs eliminativism.
5. On DennettÕs view, mental states are what Clark calls Òstance-dependent.Ó Is this problematic? If so, discuss whether or not this failure lends support to FodorÕs language of thought hypothesis or ChurchlandÕs eliminativism. If stance-dependence is not problematic, explain why not.
6. Clark writes: ÒWe have seen how details of bodily mechanics (synergies of tendons, etc.) and embodied action taking (moving, visual saccades, etc.) can radically transform the shape of the computational problems faced by a real-world agent. This fact alone puts pressure on the practical value of [MarrÕs] three-level schema.Ó
Explain MarrÕs schema. Explain why Clark thinks details of mechanics and action call into question its practical value. Assess whether Clark is right.