24.09 Minds and Machines

Writing Assignment 2. Assigned 2/24. Due in recitation 3/3. Answer in one page, in your own words. Do not quote.

According to Ryle, "an adherent of the official theory finds it difficult to resist this consequence of his premisses, that he has no good reason to believe that there exist minds other than his own". In "Analogy" (Chalmers, selection 62), Bertrand Russell tries to resist this consequence. How do we know of the existence of other minds, according to Russell? Explain and assess one objection to Russell's account. Is he right? Justify your answer.

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