Century Quote by David Papineau
“A century ago mainstream science was still quite happy to countenance vital and mental powers which had a 'downwards' causal influence on the physical realm in a straightforwardly interactionist way. It was only in the middle of the last century that science finally concluded that there are no such non-physical forces. At which point a whole pile of smart philosophers (Feigl, Smart, Putnam, Davidson, Lewis) quickly pointed out that mental, biological and social phenomena must themselves be physical, in order to produce the physical effects that they do.”
About This Quote
Mid‑20th‑century science rejected non‑physical forces, insisting mental and social phenomena must be physical to affect the world.
In simple terms: Mind and society are physical, not supernatural.
Key Takeaway
Recognize physical bases of mental/social events.
Themes
philosophy
science
mind‑body
physicalism
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
philosophical
academic
When to use this quote
- psychology research
- social policy
- neuroscience
- ethical debates
Key Concepts
causality
reductionism
emergence
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance physicalist views with lived experience?
- Can physicalism fully account for consciousness?
A Different Perspective
Physical explanations may overlook subjective experience.
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