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person1970s-present

Frank Jackson

Disciplines:
philosophy of mind
philosophy/philosophy of language
metaphysics

Summary

Australian analytic philosopher who devised the knowledge argument against physicalism and co-developed conceptual analysis as a philosophical method.

Core Contribution

The Mary's Room thought experiment: Mary knows all physical facts about color vision but learns something new upon first seeing red, arguing that qualia are not captured by physical descriptions. Also defends a priori conceptual analysis as a bridge between ordinary claims and scientific ontology.

Key Spikes & Highlights

  • Holds that physicalism can only succeed if phenomenal concepts are already implicit in physical concepts — a standard most physicalists fail.
  • Argues that ordinary moral and social claims supervene on physical facts and can be vindicated via a priori conceptual analysis rather than abandoned.
  • Changed his view: now accepts physicalism, arguing Mary's surprise is explained by phenomenal concepts referring to physical properties via a distinct mode of presentation.

Notable Works & Achievements

Perception: A Representative Theory

From Metaphysics to Ethics: A Defence of Conceptual Analysis

Mind, Method and Conditionals

Historical Influences

David Armstrong David Lewis Gilbert Ryle

Intellectual Lineage

Analytic Philosophy Philosophy of Mind Australian Realism

Contemporaries & Peers

David Chalmers David Lewis Hilary Putnam

Minds Influenced

David Chalmers Philip Pettit

Intellectual Posterity

Knowledge ArgumentMary's RoomQualia

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