Kim on the Exclusion Problem

Abstract

his seemingly straightforward acceptance the existence mental causation. This acceptance, patent throughout the paper, is most clearly expressed at the beginning it. Thus, Kim explains there he doubts many the people concerned with mental causation are actually worried that our thoughts and desires might turn out to have no causal powers to move our limbs. He goes on to say the problem mental causation is a problem of showing how mental causation is possible, not whether it is possible. This latter problem is not at issue for him. I take this acceptance mental causation to entail something along the following lines: mental events are causes the behavior individuals in virtue the (mental) properties instantiated in these events. If there is mental causation, mental properties have to be causally endowing properties -properties whose instantiation by particulars confers on these particulars the powers to cause behavioral events.