Are thoughts and experiences in the brain?

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Are Thoughts and Experiences in the Brain?
Introduction
In a philosophical perspective, thoughts and experiences have their definitions. Philosophers have over time tried to define how thoughts and experiences related to the brain, leading to the establishment of some theories that try to explain the same. Thought refers to the ideas or arrangements of ideas that come about from the process of thinking. On the other hand, Experience, in a broader perspective is the knowledge or mastery of a particular subject that is achieved by involvement or exposure to the matter.
Among the outstanding philosophers who tried to establish such a relationship is David Lewis. To explain his concepts about the philosophy of Mind, David uses the experiences of pain in analyzing distinct types of the mind philosophy including identity theory or functionalism and dualism. His recordings are outlined in a philosophical article known as mad pain and Martian Pain.
In His article, David Lewis presents accounts of two people, a madman, and a Martian. The madman, in this case, is shown as a strange person, who sometimes feels pain just like we do, but his pain is significantly different from ours concerning its causes and effects. With us, our pain is caused by some aspects such as cuts, burns, pressure, among others. Unlike the strange person or the madman, our pain is distracting. With him, his pain results from his mind in the form of mathematics, facilitating some concentration but surprisingly does not cause any distraction to him.

Furthermore, Lewis presents the madman as a person who does not get motivated to prevent his pain or get rid of it as it would be expected. To explain this, it seems that the mad person feels the pain although the kind of pain he is experiencing does not occupy the regular casual role of pain.
On the other Hand, Lewis presents a Martian who experiences pain just as we do although it differs from other human beings in aspects of physical realization. The Martian’s hydraulic mind does not contain neurons but contains different fluids in some inflatable cavities. When inflation gets exerted on the said cavities, some holes can open whereas others do close. The Martian additionally comprises plumbing that permeates his body. Unlike the Madman, when the Martian is pinched on the Skin, inflation of smallish cavities occurs in his feet, causing pain.
When experiencing pain, the Martian demonstrates many effects. For instance, his thoughts and activities get disrupted due to such, causing him to groan and moan, motivating one to stop pinching him. To explain this sentiment, it is clear that the Martian truly experiences pain although he lacks the real states that are either pain or accompany it to us. In need to explain the above concepts, there is a need or a credible theory. Functionalism is one of the arguments that are best suited for the above explanation.
Functionalism
Functionalism is a philosophical theory concerned with the nature of the state of the minds. Functionalism dictates that cognitive states are essentially functional states of the whole systems. In a precise manner, functionalism takes the identity of a mental perspective to be determined and ruled by the causal relations to the visual simulations, other mental states, and behaviors.
Pain is one of the aspects that have been considered by some functionalists. In this theory, pain is a state that causes bodily injury, producing a perception that something is not well with the human body. Therefore, there is a desire to be out of that pain. Additionally, the pain causes anxiety and contradicting ideas, causing one to moan. As such, this theory explains that only creatures that have internal states that meet the just outlined conditions are capable of being in Pain.
The functionalist theory also presents a distinctive Kind of neural activity. For example, let’s suppose that human beings contain the event, in this case, the C-fibre action, as presented in the Martial situation at the beginning, and meets the outlined conditions. Whenever the simulation of the neural activity occurs, then human beings are bound to experience pain. Also, according to this theory, certain creatures with significant constitutions are allowed to have mental states as well. Such put the Martians, as Illustrated by David Lewis to have a mental state as they meet the conditions mentioned before.
Furthermore, functionalists believe that pain can be experienced through different kinds of physical states, and this is different according to different creatures. Through such, they have given a lot of emphasis to the descriptions that make references to some states ‘casual relations with attributes like simulation and behavior. Consequently, the aspect of functionalism has some dualism that makes mental states to be caused by physical states.
The Identity Theory
On a general philosophical perspective, the identity theory encompasses a family of views explaining the relationship between the mind and the body. The identity theories try to give an insight into the available types, classes, and kinds of mental states that are identical with the different kinds of brain states. Therefore, the identity theory of mind explains the states and processes of the consciousness which are similar to the rules and procedures carried out by the brain. Furthermore, considering pain, the identity theory is to the effect that given such experiences, the experiences are brain processes and are not correlated with the brain processes.
There exist distinct varieties of identity theory. The first and commonly used is the type-type identity argument, through which philosophers believe that any given mental perspective is similar to the brain state. Through this argument, the relationship, or instead connection between the psychic phenomena, and physical processes occurring in the brain are established. Some scientific discoveries are used as the primary foundations as they provide possible relationships of mental states with the brain states. Through such, the theory applies the scientific aspect that describes water as a combination of oxygen and Hydrogen elements, as well as the availability of different aspects such as lighting with the attribute of electrical discharges. This type of theory uses such to link many physical processes occurring in the brain with the feeling and experience of pain. Through this theory, it’s a common belief that mental and physical attributes can be a single type of property described by two distinct terminologies.
The other type of this argument is the token-token identity theory. This method presents the aspect of some individual differences in people and animals, in regards to the brain and mental states. According to this approach, token mental states are identical to token physical states and may differ in individuals. As a result, pain experienced in one individual may result in a simulation of C-fibre in one individual and Z-fibre in another individual.
In his perspectives related to the identical theory, David Lewis establishes that Mental states are equivalent to one‘s neural states. He attributes specific functional understanding of the mental states which are characterized by the significant roles that they play (Lewis, 1980). Furthermore, he provides insights that physics can be used to explain and demonstrate the relationships attributed to the physical phenomena since mental states are causes of physical events. According to his argument, to describe any casual relation, only material things are required.
Additionally, Lewis provides some clarifications giving insights into the nature of the identity of the mind and a result, defending it against its objections. He notes that identity theory intends for given physical states for it to be mental states. He differs from the notion that a physical state is an object of experience. Furthermore, according to his argument, mental states cannot, in any instance be physical state since they, mental states are analytic necessity unallocated whereas physical states can be located.
Also, Lewis establishes many objections that demonstrate some difference between the neural state ascriptions and the mental state ascriptions. As claimed by the identity theory, the two ascriptions mentioned referring to the same phenomena, while they do not believe in the same sense (Lewis and David, 200). Therefore the kind of ascriptions referred can mean the same events for a different reason.
Other than the above arguments, Lewis believes that physics can be used in explaining most of the Physical phenomena available. According to him, fundamental science can be used to justify different aspects, and explanation of such is possible in theoretical physics. Therefore, all unexpected happenings have their accounts in physical dimensions.
Two conclusion s can be made from the above arguments as established by David Lewis. From the first discussion, a conclusion is reached that analytical statements, of mental states, can be inherited from behaviorism, which is characterized by casual role occupation. The second conclusion, based on the second argument establishes that mental perceptions are nonphysical correlates of physical states that behave in the same mechanism as the underlying physical states provided that they are entirely correlated.
The Dualism Theory
In philosophy, the dualism theory refers to an approach that primarily holds to underlying different principles and concepts. For example, through this argument, there is a common belief in the existence of two human entities, the body, and the soul. Furthermore, dualists have this common idea that the mind has a more considerable influence on our personality and the body is just a container or vessel of the same.
Of the standard explored aspect of this theory is the Mind-body problem. This element tries to establish the relationship between mind and body and on different perspective the connection between mental and physical attributes. To explain the named characteristics, weight, shape, color, and motion are some of the material aspects that have been taken into consideration, as attributed by human beings. On the other hand, mental properties such as experience and emotional experience do not ascribe to physical objects and have been studied to establish the dualism.
According to the theory, physical properties are public. Such is because they can be seen, observed and Judged by any second party seeing them. Whereas some features cannot be seen by all, they can be made available using relevant scientific mechanisms. The same does not happen with the mental properties as explained in this study. Unlike the Physical properties, the mental attributes cannot be observed by a second party, and therefore are not available to all. One can only tell that a friend is in pain by finding significant behavioral characteristics. It’s just the bearer who can feel the pain directly.
As a result, there have been different views in regards to the same, a fact that has welcomed distinct philosophical views. Such has made some philosophers believe that mental states are just physical states, in what has been termed as materialist view. This view encompasses the use of the Behaviourism, functionalism and the identity theories in attempting to offer explanations over the same.
Other beliefs that have arisen explain that physical states are mental. As such, the physical world is viewed as an empirical one, a product of collective and long-time experience. This is common with idealists. On the same note, dualists, using the dualism theory believe that mental and physical attributes are real, and they cannot in any way be assimilated to the other.
Conclusion
The above-explained theories try to explain the nature of mind, addressing other aspects such as mental events, metal functions, and consciousness. Majority of the arguments, as illustrated Using the David Lewis Concept give a clear illustration that pain is a feeling, and that remains uncontroversial according to the theories. Through such, one can define the relationship that occurs between experiences, thoughts and the brain. Therefore, according to the theories, there is a substantial connection between thoughts, experiences and one’s mental state.
Work Cited
Lewis, David. “Mad pain and Martian pain.” Readings in the Philosophy of Psychology 1 (2010): 216-222.