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What was one major theory Putnam helped shape regarding the mind-body problem?
Functionalism
Physicalism
Dualism
Behaviourism
Answer
Hilary Putnam was a philosopher who made many important contributions to the mind-body problem. He helped to shape the functionalist theory, which holds that mental states are defined by their functional role in the brain. In other words, what matters about mental states is not their physical properties, but the role they play in our mental life. This theory has been influential in philosophy of mind and cognitive science.
Unraveling the Intellectual Odyssey: A Quiz on the Life and Ideas of Hilary Putnam
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What philosophy tradition did Putnam begin to engage with in his later work?
What concept did Putnam challenge in his critique of the "brain in a vat" thought experiment?
What experiment led Putnam to introduce semantic externalism?
What did Putnam aim to do in metaphilosophy?
How did Putnam's views about metaphysical realism change over time?
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