Frank Cameron Jackson

FrankJackson

Australian philosopher

Frank Cameron Jackson (born 31 August 1943) is an Australian philosopher known for his work in the philosophy of mind, epistemology, and metaphysics. He is particularly famous for the knowledge argument against physicalism and his development of the concept of epiphenomenalism.

Early Life and Education

Frank Jackson was born in Melbourne, Australia. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Melbourne, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He later pursued a PhD in philosophy at La Trobe University, where he developed his early ideas on the philosophy of mind.

Academic Career

Jackson began his academic career as a lecturer at Monash University before moving to the Australian National University (ANU), where he held various positions, including the Director of the Research School of Social Sciences. He has also been a visiting professor at several prestigious institutions worldwide.

Philosophical Contributions

Knowledge Argument

Jackson is best known for the knowledge argument, which he introduced in his paper "Epiphenomenal Qualia" (1982). The argument is a thought experiment involving a character named Mary, a brilliant scientist who knows everything there is to know about the physical aspects of color perception but has never experienced color herself. When Mary finally sees color for the first time, she learns something new—what it is like to see color—suggesting that there are non-physical aspects of knowledge.

Epiphenomenalism

Jackson has also contributed significantly to the concept of epiphenomenalism, the view that mental states are caused by physical states but do not themselves cause anything. This idea challenges the traditional causal theory of mind and has sparked extensive debate in the field of philosophy of mind.

Other Contributions

In addition to his work on the knowledge argument and epiphenomenalism, Jackson has made important contributions to metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. His work often explores the implications of physicalism, dualism, and the nature of qualia.

Awards and Honors

Jackson has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to philosophy, including election to the Australian Academy of the Humanities and the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. He has also been awarded honorary doctorates from several universities.

Selected Works

• "Epiphenomenal Qualia" (1982)
• "From Metaphysics to Ethics: A Defence of Conceptual Analysis" (1998)
• "Mind, Method, and Conditionals: Selected Essays" (1998)

See Also

• Philosophy of mind
• Physicalism
• Dualism
• Qualia
• Epistemology
• Metaphysics

Related Pages

• Mary (philosophy)
• Knowledge argument
• Epiphenomenalism
• Physicalism
• Qualia
• Australian National University
• University of Melbourne
• La Trobe University