Explain the distinction between epistemic and metaphysical questions, and give an

example for each.

Epistemic questions focus on how we acquire knowledge and what limits there are to
knowledge. Metaphysical questions focus on what exists/there is.

Epistemic question: is anything in principle unknowable?

Metaphysical question: does consciousness exist?

What does Kim mean by “epistemological criteria” in his discussion of whether there is a
“mark of the mental”?

Kim uses the toothache example to elaborate on the issue of the “mark of the mental” claiming
that knowing you have a toothache without further evidence is a mental state whereas getting
information on the state of the tooth from a dentist is a physical state. He uses the
“epistemological criteria” to make the distinction between two different ways of acquiring
knowledge and thus separates mental and nonmetal phenomenons

Explain the thesis that all mental states are transparent, and give a possible
counterexample to this thesis.
The transparency thesis claims that whatever occurs in the mind i.e. whatever state mind is in,
is entirely transparent to it. A counter-example would be blurry vision from staring at a computer
screen for a long time where the mental state is not entirely clear to the mind.

Explain the notion of intentionality, and how it relates to representation.

Intentionality is the ability of minds and mental states to represent properties or states of things.

What does the thesis of dualism say?

Dualism states that there are two fundamental kinds or categories of things or principles. In our
scenario, dualism holds that mental states and properties are distinct from physical states and
properties

Briefly explain what the causal problem for dualism is, as discussed by Braddon-Mitchell
and Jackson

Braddon-Mitchell and Jackson essentially argue that there is a link between mental and physical
states by using examples such as the one of how desire [a mental state] impacts a future
physical state where that desire is fulfilled. Essentially, the causal problem is that dualist hold
that special properties affect behaviour but behaviour impacts physical realities and the since
evidence for the view that physical properties are causally closed rules out special properties
affecting behaviour.