G. Lewis Connection To Functionalism

Through addressing the issues of mad and Martian pain, Lewis effectively bridges the gap between the ideas of materialism, functionalism, and ultimately the identity theory. By first developing his identity theory and the role of materialism, Lewis builds a basis off which to launch his argument. Incorporating functionalism, Lewis fills in the gaps created by the dependence of a single theory, and creates an alternate theory which encompasses and address most issues at hand. However, despite addressing the issues of mad and Martian pain, Lewis still fails to explain the case of the mad-Martian who is unique to their population.
Body Paragraphs:
1. Materialism and Identity Theory
• Pains are the kind of thing that typically have such-and-such
• Lewis believes the definitive characteristic of any experience as such is its causal role, its syndrome of most typical causes and effects. Since physical states possess the definitive characteristics of experience they must be the experiences

2. Connection to Functionalism
• Functionalists define mental states and process in terms of their causal relations to behavior but stop short of identifying them with their neural realizations.
• Lewis connects believes that functional roles are possessed by neural states and process, and mental states and process are identified in terms of their causal roles in relation to other mental states, stimuli, and behavior.

3. Confront issues of Mad/Martian Pain
• Martian pain is the same causal role as human pain, but without C-fiber stimulation.
• On the other hand, mad pain describes a situation with the same C-fiber stimulation as a normal human would experience, but a different causal role.
• Lewis concludes that both the madman and the Martian are in pain, but must also determine how to define the appropriate