What is What is Materialism? Materialism?

MaterialismMaterialism

In the Materialist In the Materialist perspective, reality perspective, reality is ultimately is ultimately composed of composed of mattermatter

Both Eastern and Both Eastern and Western Western philosophers have philosophers have argued for this argued for this viewview

Eastern MaterialismEastern Materialism

The “Charvaka” philosophers of The “Charvaka” philosophers of Eastern India, who flourished Eastern India, who flourished around 600 BCE, rejected the around 600 BCE, rejected the spiritualism of their countrymenspiritualism of their countrymen

The Charvaka said that there was The Charvaka said that there was only one valid source of knowledge only one valid source of knowledge of the world-our sense of perceptionof the world-our sense of perception

They said that deductive and They said that deductive and inductive reasoning was unreliableinductive reasoning was unreliable

Eastern MaterialismEastern Materialism They argued that if They argued that if

we cannot know we cannot know something through something through the senses, then it is the senses, then it is wrong to say that it wrong to say that it exists exists

They argued that They argued that there is no God, no there is no God, no soul, no heaven or soul, no heaven or hellhell

Human life begins Human life begins and ends here, so and ends here, so people should try to people should try to get as much pleasure get as much pleasure as possibleas possible

Western MaterialismWestern Materialism

Democritus- atoms are the smallest Democritus- atoms are the smallest piece of matter; the universe is made piece of matter; the universe is made up of atoms and empty space, even up of atoms and empty space, even the soul is made of atomsthe soul is made of atoms

Western PhilosophyWestern Philosophy

With the classical philosophers With the classical philosophers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, as well Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, as well as with the rise of Christianity, the as with the rise of Christianity, the idea of a soul became dominant in idea of a soul became dominant in the Westthe West

The concept of personal immortality The concept of personal immortality gave Western philosophy a distinctly gave Western philosophy a distinctly non-material biasnon-material bias

Scientific RevolutionScientific Revolution

In the 17In the 17thth Century, a growing Century, a growing interest in science once again turned interest in science once again turned minds back to materialismminds back to materialism

With the discoveries of Copernicus, With the discoveries of Copernicus, Galileo and Newton, people began to Galileo and Newton, people began to believe the world could be quantified believe the world could be quantified and scientists claimed materialism and scientists claimed materialism was all that matteredwas all that mattered

Thomas Hobbes the Thomas Hobbes the MaterialistMaterialist

Hobbes maintained that all we can Hobbes maintained that all we can truly know about the world is the truly know about the world is the measurable aspectsmeasurable aspects

Hobbes concluded that measurable Hobbes concluded that measurable matter is all there is in the universe matter is all there is in the universe and only matter is realand only matter is real

Hobbes advocated that mental states Hobbes advocated that mental states are the same as brain states are the same as brain states

The Forms of The Forms of MaterialismMaterialism

Today, materialism takes many forms Today, materialism takes many forms with four characteristics: with four characteristics:

1)1) Seeks answers through objective Seeks answers through objective methodologymethodology

2)2) Deterministic-every event has a causeDeterministic-every event has a cause

3)3) Denies any supernatural beliefDenies any supernatural belief

4)4) Reductionistic- the whole can be Reductionistic- the whole can be explained only in terms of the parts or explained only in terms of the parts or units units

Objections to Objections to MaterialismMaterialism

Difficulty in accounting for Difficulty in accounting for human consciousness ex. human consciousness ex. Thinking, wishing, hoping, Thinking, wishing, hoping, dreamingdreaming

ConsciousnessConsciousness- an awareness - an awareness of things; concepts of which it of things; concepts of which it is aware need not exist ex. is aware need not exist ex. FairnessFairness

Materialists claim that states Materialists claim that states of consciousness ARE brain of consciousness ARE brain states, BUT brain states can be states, BUT brain states can be seen, felt and touched whereas seen, felt and touched whereas conscious experiences cannotconscious experiences cannot

Objections to Objections to MaterialismMaterialism

Atomic Physics-Atomic Physics- new discoveries; not new discoveries; not everything is made up of electrons, everything is made up of electrons, protons and neutronsprotons and neutrons

More than 200 elementary particles More than 200 elementary particles are made of “quarks”, which do not are made of “quarks”, which do not seem to be matter but likely energy seem to be matter but likely energy forces forces

Objections to Objections to MaterialismMaterialism

Since the early 1930’s, when Werner Since the early 1930’s, when Werner Heisenberg discovered activities of Heisenberg discovered activities of electrons cannot be completely electrons cannot be completely measured; materialism has been losing measured; materialism has been losing credibilitycredibility

De-Materialization of MatterDe-Materialization of Matter: Many : Many scientists, including Heisenberg, believe scientists, including Heisenberg, believe we may live in an idealistic universe; one we may live in an idealistic universe; one whose reality depends solely on the mindwhose reality depends solely on the mind

This has led some philosophers to claim This has led some philosophers to claim that reality consists of more than matterthat reality consists of more than matter