Sharif Digital Repository

One of the important issues in the philosophy of mind is the challange about the content of mental states, how the mind can refer to the world. To explain this special relationship that is not observed in the physical world, various mental models have been implemented, one of which is the connectionism model. Connectionist networks are based on the idea of biological neural networks, and the main concern of connectionism is modeling the brain and implementing human mind characteristics. The connectionist model was proposed by emphasizing the necessity of linking symbols with their original content and meaning. In this model, data representation is done in a holistic way and based on network... 

The role of Technological Human Body is mainly overlooked in the Philosophy of Technology. However as result of diverse bodily technologies (somatechnologies) which are emergent everyday, for either enhancement, rehabilitation, or even recreational activities, the realtion between bodies and technologies are such entangled that no longer could anybody ignor it. Cyborg is an amalgamation of Human and Machine. The philosophical challenges that such an entity brings forth is immense; Agency, Intentionality, Subjectivity, Power relations, Ethics to mention but a few. In this study we try to investigate such issues through a phenomenological and feminist stance by examining Everyday cyborgs, i.e.... 

Semantic Holism is one of the most effective and wide spreading topics in philosophy of language. W.V.Quine with his “Two Dogmas” article has coined semantic holism with his name. After Quine, semantic holism absorbed many attentions in the philosophy of language and also other fields. Even, in neural networks and artificial intelligence, holistic presumptions about meaning are accepted. Nevertheless, arguments for meaning holism and their validation has not tended enough. Fodor and Lepore, in Semantic Holism; A Shopper’s Guide, are trying to reconstruct arguments for semantic holism that had been presented by philosophers like Quine, Davidson, Dennet, Lewis, and Churchland and then... 

The idea that the intentional states are essentially normative has been much discussed in the philosophies of mind and cognitive sciences in the past few decades. The main idea is that some norms are essentially engaged in constituting the nature of the intentional states. Reaching an accurate formulation of this thesis and arguing for and against it has sparked much disagreements among the proponents and the opponents alike. This dissertation makes the case for a particular version of this thesis, according to which the intentional states, particularly beliefs and intentions, are construed as theoretical and practical commitments. This is the view which has already been defended by several...