•  50
    Anti-reductionism and the mind-body problem
    Philosophy Research Archives 10 441-454. 1984.
    I argue that there are good reasons to deny both type-type and token-token mind-brain identity theories. Yet on the other hand there are compelling reasons for thinking that there is a causal basis for the mind. I argue that a path out of this impasse involves not only showing that criteria of individuation do not determine identity, but also that there are sound methodological reasons for thinking that the cause of intelligent behavior is a real natural kind. Finally, a commitment to this metho…Read more
  •  2
    Anti-Reductionism and the Mind-Body Problem
    Philosophy Research Archives 10 441-453. 1984.
    I argue that there are good reasons to deny both type-type and token-token mind-brain identity theories. Yet on the other hand there are compelling reasons for thinking that there is a causal basis for the mind. I argue that a path out of this impasse involves not only showing that criteria of individuation do not determine identity, but also that there are sound methodological reasons for thinking that the cause of intelligent behavior is a real natural kind. Finally, a commitment to this metho…Read more
  • Evolutionary Metaphysics: An Example
    Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley. 1981.
    I present a defense of a refined Peircean conception of truth, as inspired by Wilfrid Sellars. Roughly, Sellars' view can be represented by the two following metascientific claims: An ideally adequate scientific theory is the limit towards which successive theories would converge by theoretical evolution; Reality would be what is represented by an ideally adequate scientific theory. My overall strategy involves a search for essential components of an argument showing theoretical progress in scie…Read more