physicalism
Everything is physical
Physicalism is the philosophical position that everything real is ultimately physical—that mental states, consciousness, and all phenomena can be explained in terms of physical matter and processes.
It's a modern formulation of materialism, prominent in philosophy of mind: Physicalism holds that there's nothing to the mind beyond brain activity.
Critics argue it struggles to account for subjective experience.
Prioritizing goods over spirit
- monismSingle-substance metaphysics
- naturalismWorldview excluding the supernatural
- reductionismExplaining wholes through parts
- functionalismTheory emphasizing purposes and roles
mind-body · substance · dualism · property dualism · mental causation · interactionism
Knowledge through observation
- positivismPhilosophy demanding verifiable evidence
- scientismOvervaluing empirical methods alone
- objectivismBelief in external truths
- observationAttentive watching or remark
measurability · quantifiability · falsifiability · evidence · testability · sensory · methodology
Doctrine of causal necessity
- causalityCause-effect connection
- mechanismMeans by which something operates
- laws of natureFundamental rules governing reality
- spacetimeMerged dimensional framework
properties · universals · particulars · tropes · constitution · composition · persistence · substrate
Quality of being solid
- tangibilityQuality of being touchable
- corporealityQuality of having substance
- materialityState of being consequential
- actualityState of existing fact
existence · spatiotemporal · phenomena · perceptibility · extension · solidity · particulars
Subjective character of experiences
- phenomenalExceptionally impressive or unusual
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
- subjective experienceFirst-person felt quality
- introspectionObserving one's own mind
materialism
Prioritizing goods over spirit
- monismSingle-substance metaphysics
- naturalismWorldview excluding the supernatural
- reductionismExplaining wholes through parts
functionalism · mind-body · substance · dualism · property dualism · mental causation · interactionism
empiricism
Knowledge through observation
- positivismPhilosophy demanding verifiable evidence
- scientismOvervaluing empirical methods alone
- objectivismBelief in external truths
observation · measurability · quantifiability · falsifiability · evidence · testability · sensory · methodology
determinism
Doctrine of causal necessity
- causalityCause-effect connection
- mechanismMeans by which something operates
- laws of natureFundamental rules governing reality
spacetime · properties · universals · particulars · tropes · constitution · composition · persistence · substrate · grounding
concreteness
Quality of being solid
- tangibilityQuality of being touchable
- corporealityQuality of having substance
- materialityState of being consequential
actuality · existence · spatiotemporal · phenomena · perceptibility · extension · solidity · particulars
qualia
Subjective character of experiences
- phenomenalExceptionally impressive or unusual
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
- subjective experienceFirst-person felt quality
physicalismdualism
Philosophy of opposed pairs
idealism · immaterialism · spiritualism · interactionism · mentalism
physicalismsupernaturalism
Belief in nonphysical forces
mysticism · phenomenology · spiritualism · teleology · vitalism