Problem Set 07

1. The Case of Fred

In a long essay, explain the case of Fred and explain how Jackson uses it as an argument against physicalism. Do you find the argument convincing? Why or why not? (25)

2. The Knowledge Gap

In a long essay, explain and evaluate the argument Jackson presents in the following paragraph from "Epiphenomenal Qualia" (25)

To reinforce this conclusion, imagine that as a result of our investigations into the internal workings of Fred we find out how to make everyone's physiology like Fred's in the relevant respects; or perhaps Fred donates his body to science and on his death we are able to transplant his optical system into someone else--again the fine detail doesn't matter. The important point is that such a happening would create enormous interest. People would say, "At last we will know what it is like to see the extra colour, at last we will know how Fred has differed from us in the way he has struggled to tell us about for so long." Then it cannot be that we knew all along all about Fred. But ex hypothesi we did know all along everything about Fred that features in the physicalist scheme; hence the physicalist scheme leaves something out.