The aim of this paper is to rebuild the main hypothesis of Churchland’s "Braintrust" (2011) postulating that the origins of sociability and morality lie in the neuro-biology of attachment and bonding. The author sides with Hume’s conception of morality as grounded in sentiments but Churchland conceives them principally in biological terms by tracing them back to the neurocircuitry of the brain and hormones. Particularly, she puts forward the hypothesis that oxytocin (OXT) is the responsible for the social and moral behavior of mammals, including humans. By the end of this paper, we will address Churchland’s criticism of the moral innateness thesis and we will briefly discuss the strong and weak points of her proposal.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Contextualizing Churchland's Braintrust
- 2. Neurophilosophy and the Challenge of the "World of Values"
- 3. The "Biological Moral Sentiments"
- 4. Concluding Remarks
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper reconstructs the main hypothesis of Patricia Churchland's Braintrust (2011), which posits that the origins of sociability and morality lie in the neurobiology of attachment and bonding. The work explores Churchland's perspective, aligning with Hume's view of morality grounded in sentiments but interpreting them through a biological lens, tracing them back to brain neurocircuitry and hormones. It also addresses Churchland's critique of the moral innateness thesis.
- Neurophilosophy as a unified science of the mind-brain.
- The biological basis of morality and sociability.
- Churchland's critique of dualism and folk psychology.
- The role of oxytocin in social and moral behavior.
- Eliminative Materialism and its implications for understanding the mind.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Contextualizing Churchland's Braintrust: This chapter introduces Patricia Churchland's neurophilosophy, a field aiming to unite neuroscience and philosophy to understand the mind and human behavior scientifically. It discusses Churchland's endorsement of Eliminative Materialism (EM), a physicalist theory rejecting "folk psychology" for its reliance on subjective, non-scientific methods. EM proposes that mental states are ultimately brain states, challenging dualistic views and the mind-brain dichotomy exemplified by functionalism's software-hardware analogy. Churchland argues against this analogy, asserting the inseparability of mind and brain. The chapter establishes Churchland's reductionist perspective, equating mental phenomena with brain states, a position further explored in her later works.
2. Neurophilosophy and the Challenge of the "World of Values": This chapter delves into Churchland's application of her naturalistic, reductionist approach to social behavior. While acknowledging similar endeavors by other authors, it highlights the distinctive features of Churchland's program. The chapter likely explores how her neurophilosophical framework addresses traditional philosophical problems concerning consciousness, self, and morality, proposing empirical inquiry into hormones, genetics, and neuronal connections as avenues to unraveling these mysteries. The challenge of integrating the "world of values" (moral and social dimensions) within a purely biological framework is likely a central theme.
3. The "Biological Moral Sentiments": This chapter likely focuses on Churchland's specific arguments concerning the biological underpinnings of moral sentiments. Building upon the foundation laid in the previous chapters, this section probably delves into the proposed role of oxytocin and other neurobiological factors in shaping social and moral behavior. The chapter would examine the mechanisms by which these biological processes influence our moral judgments and actions, potentially contrasting this view with traditional philosophical accounts of morality. Churchland’s criticism of the moral innateness thesis would be a significant component of this chapter.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Neuroscience, Neurophilosophy, Churchland, Morality, Sociability, Oxytocin, Eliminative Materialism, Dualism, Mind-Brain Identity, Biological Moral Sentiments.
Frequently Asked Questions: Patricia Churchland's *Braintrust*
What is the main focus of Patricia Churchland's *Braintrust*?
Churchland's *Braintrust* posits that the origins of sociability and morality are rooted in the neurobiology of attachment and bonding. The book explores a perspective aligning with Hume's view of morality grounded in sentiments, but interpreted through a biological lens, tracing them back to brain neurocircuitry and hormones. It also critically examines the moral innateness thesis.
What are the key themes explored in this work?
Key themes include neurophilosophy as a unified science of the mind-brain; the biological basis of morality and sociability; Churchland's critique of dualism and folk psychology; the role of oxytocin in social and moral behavior; and the implications of eliminative materialism for understanding the mind.
What is the methodology used in *Braintrust*?
Churchland employs a neurophilosophical approach, aiming to unite neuroscience and philosophy to understand the mind and human behavior scientifically. Her work advocates for eliminative materialism, a physicalist theory rejecting "folk psychology" in favor of a reductionist perspective equating mental phenomena with brain states.
How does Churchland address the "world of values"?
The book tackles the challenge of integrating moral and social dimensions ("the world of values") within a purely biological framework. It proposes empirical inquiry into hormones, genetics, and neuronal connections as avenues to understand consciousness, self, and morality.
What is Churchland's stance on the moral innateness thesis?
Churchland offers a critique of the moral innateness thesis, arguing for a biological basis of moral sentiments shaped by neurobiological factors like oxytocin. Her perspective contrasts with traditional philosophical accounts of morality.
What role does oxytocin play in Churchland's argument?
Oxytocin and other neurobiological factors are central to Churchland's explanation of social and moral behavior. The book examines the mechanisms by which these biological processes influence moral judgments and actions.
What is eliminative materialism and its relevance to *Braintrust*?
Eliminative materialism, a key component of Churchland's framework, is a physicalist theory that rejects "folk psychology" as a scientifically accurate description of the mind. It proposes that mental states are ultimately brain states, challenging dualistic views and the mind-brain dichotomy.
What are the key chapters and their summaries?
Chapter 1 contextualizes Churchland's neurophilosophy and its commitment to eliminative materialism. Chapter 2 applies this framework to social behavior and addresses the integration of "the world of values." Chapter 3 focuses on the biological underpinnings of moral sentiments, emphasizing the role of oxytocin and criticizing the moral innateness thesis. Chapter 4 provides concluding remarks.
What are the keywords associated with this work?
Keywords include neuroscience, neurophilosophy, Churchland, morality, sociability, oxytocin, eliminative materialism, dualism, mind-brain identity, and biological moral sentiments.
- Quote paper
- Jonathan Arriola (Author), 2014, Sociability and Morality in Patricia Churchland’s "Braintrust". An Introduction to Neurophilosophy, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/347019
