Methodological physicalism

Abstract

Contemporary materialism, which tries to explain the working principles ofthe mind and the universe, become less meaningful after the developments in themodern physics. The modern physics showed that the definition of matter, as it isused in defining materialism, is no longer valid. Chomsky states his position as`Chomsky's challenge to materialism` by claiming that with the abolishment of thedefinition of the matter, there is no reason to defend materialism, which depends onthat definition. Therefore, materialism becomes an empty doctrine thus cannot beused in explaining the mind. The developments in the modern physics creates theneed for a new doctrine, which can explain the mind and at the same time becompatible with the modern physics and possible any future physics. This newvdoctrine, the methodological physicalism, aims to explain the mind by using themodern physics. Creating such a doctrine requires understanding of materialism andits form as well as understanding the problems of materialism and its forms. Byidentifying the defects in materialism and by using the modern physics as a standingpoint methodological physicalism can achieve a more successful understanding ofthe working of the mind. By using the modern physics, the methodologicalphysicalism can explain why the currents models of the mind fail. Moreover, it canexplain how certain models of the mind constructed, which employs the quantummechanics while explaining the mind. The methodological physicalism will helpunderstanding the mind where materialism fails to do so.