Gilbert Ryle (1900 – 1976) Gilbert Ryle (1900 – 1976)

- British analytic philosopher - British analytic philosopher

- important figure in Linguistic Analysis - important figure in Linguistic Analysis
- taught at Oxford University - taught at Oxford University
- he mounted an attack against Cartesian mind-body - he mounted an attack against Cartesian mind-body
dualism and supported the behaviorist theory of dualism and supported the behaviorist theory of
the mind the mind
- authored The Philosophical Arguments (1945), - authored The Philosophical Arguments (1945),
Plato’s Progress (1966), and The Concept of the Plato’s Progress (1966), and The Concept of the
Mind (1949) Mind (1949)

BEHAVIORISM BEHAVIORISM
- a school in psychology that advocates focusing on public - a school in psychology that advocates focusing on public
events – behaviors of people – while ignoring private events – behaviors of people – while ignoring private
events – the thoughts of people events – the thoughts of people
- contends that public behaviors as such can be described - contends that public behaviors as such can be described
scientifically without recourse to any psychological scientifically without recourse to any psychological
events or hypothetical constructs like thoughts or events or hypothetical constructs like thoughts or
beliefs beliefs

Logical Behaviorism Logical Behaviorism

- Ryle’s approach on behaviorism that focused on - Ryle’s approach on behaviorism that focused on
creating conceptual clarity and not on developing creating conceptual clarity and not on developing
techniques to condition and manipulate human techniques to condition and manipulate human
behavior behavior

Ryle’s Argument Against Cartesian Mind-Body Dualism Ryle’s Argument Against Cartesian Mind-Body Dualism
- in his book The Concept of Mind, Ryle argues - in his book The Concept of Mind, Ryle argues
against Descartes’ myth of dualism, which he against Descartes’ myth of dualism, which he
characterizes as the “official doctrine “ that has characterizes as the “official doctrine “ that has
become a dominant model in different academic become a dominant model in different academic
disciplines disciplines
- Cartesian Mind-Body Dualism contends that every - Cartesian Mind-Body Dualism contends that every
human being has both a physical body and a human being has both a physical body and a
nonphysical mind which are orderly ”harnessed” nonphysical mind which are orderly ”harnessed”
together together
o a person thus has two collateral histories: o a person thus has two collateral histories:
 what happens in and to his body  what happens in and to his body
(public) (public)
 what happens in and to his mind  what happens in and to his mind
(private) (private)
o this metaphor then gives rise to the o this metaphor then gives rise to the
assumption that there are two types of assumption that there are two types of
existence existence
- According to Ryle, the practical implications of this - According to Ryle, the practical implications of this
doctrine are profound and far-reaching. doctrine are profound and far-reaching.

Ghost in the Machine Ghost in the Machine

o Ryle explains that the Descartes’ Official o Ryle explains that the Descartes’ Official
doctrine can be analogous to this central doctrine can be analogous to this central
metaphor metaphor
 the “self” is thought to be a  the “self” is thought to be a
spiritual, immaterial ghost rattling spiritual, immaterial ghost rattling
inside the physical body directly inside the physical body directly
conflicts with our daily experience, conflicts with our daily experience,
revealing it to be conceptually revealing it to be conceptually
flawed and needs to be revised flawed and needs to be revised
o The bifurcated view of the self in terms of o The bifurcated view of the self in terms of
external physical bodies and internal external physical bodies and internal
nonphysical minds is thought to be just a nonphysical minds is thought to be just a
metaphor and doesn’t really show the metaphor and doesn’t really show the
literal description that there is in reality. literal description that there is in reality.
  The mind is not physical and is not in  The mind is not physical and is not in
space, then it cannot be inside anything space, then it cannot be inside anything
itself, nor can it have things going on itself, nor can it have things going on
spatially inside themselves. spatially inside themselves.
 it is as good as saying that the  it is as good as saying that the
machine is being controlled by a machine is being controlled by a
ghost that can never touch it and vice ghost that can never touch it and vice
versa. versa.
- we frequently forget that these are metaphors and - we frequently forget that these are metaphors and
speak as if “outside” physical events can affect speak as if “outside” physical events can affect
internal mental events and vice versa. However if internal mental events and vice versa. However if
we consider how the dualistic works in a literal and we consider how the dualistic works in a literal and
practical level, we realize that the model doesn’t practical level, we realize that the model doesn’t
make sense since we have no idea howWX the two make sense since we have no idea how the two
different dimensions interact as we perceive they different dimensions interact as we perceive they
do and we can’t find such connection even through do and we can’t find such connection even through
introspection and lab experiments introspection and lab experiments
- We have our own knowledge of our own mental - We have our own knowledge of our own mental
self that others are excluded from understanding self that others are excluded from understanding
we’re thinking of who we are and vice versa. We we’re thinking of who we are and vice versa. We
can observe the bodies and actions of others, we can observe the bodies and actions of others, we
can only make inference regarding the mind that is can only make inference regarding the mind that is
producing these actions producing these actions

Category Mistake Category Mistake

- Arises when people think of the self existing apart - Arises when people think of the self existing apart
from certain observable behaviors, a purely mental from certain observable behaviors, a purely mental
entity existing in time but not space entity existing in time but not space
- Consists of representing the facts of mental life as - Consists of representing the facts of mental life as
if they belonged to one logical type of category if they belonged to one logical type of category
when they belong to another when they belong to another
- The misuse of language of our ordinary language - The misuse of language of our ordinary language
produced an illusion that the mind-body dualism. produced an illusion that the mind-body dualism.
o Ryle explains that Descartes makes this o Ryle explains that Descartes makes this
mistake by thinking that there is mistake by thinking that there is
something called the “mind” over and something called the “mind” over and
above a person’s behavioral dispositions above a person’s behavioral dispositions
Example: Example:
A foreigner visiting Oxford or Cambridge for the first A foreigner visiting Oxford or Cambridge for the first
time is shown a number of colleges, libraries, playing fields, time is shown a number of colleges, libraries, playing fields,
museums, scientific departments, and administrative museums, scientific departments, and administrative
offices. He then asks ‘But where is the University? I have offices. He then asks ‘But where is the University? I have
seen where the members of the Colleges live, where the seen where the members of the Colleges live, where the
Registrar works, where the scientists experiment, and the Registrar works, where the scientists experiment, and the
rest. But I have not yet seen the University in which reside rest. But I have not yet seen the University in which reside
and work the members of your University.’ It has then to be and work the members of your University.’ It has then to be
explained to him that the University is not another explained to him that the University is not another
collateral institution, some ulterior counterpart to the collateral institution, some ulterior counterpart to the
colleges, laboratories, and offices which he has seen. The colleges, laboratories, and offices which he has seen. The
University is just the way in which all that he has already University is just the way in which all that he has already
seen is organized. When they are seen and when their co- seen is organized. When they are seen and when their co-
ordination is understood, the University has been seen. ordination is understood, the University has been seen.

What is Self? What is Self?

- The self is best understood as a pattern of - The self is best understood as a pattern of
behavior, the tendency or disposition for a person behavior, the tendency or disposition for a person
to behave in certain way in certain circumstances to behave in certain way in certain circumstances
- He believes that the mind is a concept that express - He believes that the mind is a concept that express
the entire system of thoughts, emotions, etc, that the entire system of thoughts, emotions, etc, that
make up the human self make up the human self
- Therefore, the self is how we behave - Therefore, the self is how we behave