Knowledge Tree
Relations (1)
cross_type 2.00 — strongly supporting 3 facts
John Foster is directly related to the concept of the self through his philosophical arguments regarding its nature, specifically critiquing attempts to define the self as a physical substance [1] or an 'ectoplasmic' entity [2]. Furthermore, he advocates for a 'no-analysis' perspective which asserts that the nature of the self cannot be analyzed [3].
Facts (3)
Sources
Dualism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy/Winter 2016 Edition) plato.stanford.edu 3 facts
perspectiveJohn Foster, Zeno Vendler, and Geoffrey Madell hold the 'no-analysis' view, which posits that attempting to analyze the nature of the self is a mistake.
claimJohn Foster argues that defining the self through consciousness is an attempt to explain what the immaterial self is 'made of,' which incorrectly assimilates the self toward a physical substance model.
claimJohn Foster argues that René Descartes only partially escaped the 'ectoplasmic' model of the self because, while Descartes avoided attributing non-mental properties to the self, he still attempted to explain the material composition of the self.