> Hey, why stop there? All biochemistry consists of molecules, so the
> true cause of biochemistry is molecular phenomena. Wait, atomic
> phenomena. Wait, subatomic ...
> Levels of analysis here!
That's right. Then again, I (apparently unlike you, if past discussions are any indicator) think terms like "intention" have referents and do real explanatory work.
> Go back and read Kel's recent post
> about the sociological imagination and you'll see how incoherent
> your claim above is.
>
> Miles
I don't see any incoherence. And besides, the claim I initially made, and the only one I have any desire to defend, should be pretty uncontroversial: even someone who thinks that mental states just are brain states (not sure this is my view, though it's far closer than any sort of dualism) won't have any trouble accounting for the fact that changes in the external enviornment can lead to changes in mental states.