Oct. 24: 'Is There a a Genuine Internalist, Externalist Debate about Mental Content?'

Thursday, October 24, 2019
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Armstrong Hall 214

Thursday, Oct. 24, 4 p.m.
Armstrong Hall 214
Lecture Title: “Is There a Genuine Internalist, Externalist Debate about Mental Content?”

Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Department of Philosophy welcomes students, faculty, and other members of the University community to attend an upcoming lecture by Richard Liebendorfer titled “Is There a Genuine Internalist, Externalist Debate about Mental Content?” The lecture will be at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, in Armstrong Hall 214. All are welcome!

Lecture preview: “Mental Content is that feature of a mental state that renders the state about something; for example the belief that grass is green is about the grass and its color. Internalists think content derives from and is constituted by what is intrinsic to an individual, not from causal relations with a world. Externalists think content derives from and is constituted by causal relations with the world. An often common commitment is that ascription is needed for explanation: internalists more often think ascription necessary to explain behavior, externalists more often focus on the success of behavior. I think that both are needed. This will have consequences for how we think about mental content.”

Liebendorfer is professor of philosophy and director of the interdisciplinary major in cognitive science at Minnesota State Mankato.

For more information, contact Joshua Preiss, professor of philosophy at Minnesota State Mankato, at 507-389-5514.