The Zombie Argument - a discussion of the soundness of the zombie argument

Abstract

In this thesis I inquire whether the zombie-argument is sound, and thus whether it refutes physicalism of the mind. I do so by investigating the two controversial premises of the argument, namely (P1) zombies are conceivable, and (P2) if zombies are conceivable, then zombies are metaphysically possible. The first part of the thesis consists of an introduction in the subject. In the second part I discuss the first premise of the zombie-argument, and conclude that it is sound. In the third part I discuss the second premise of the zombie-argument, and, on the basis of Stephen Yablo's argument and my argument, I conclude that the second premise isn't sound. Therefore, the zombie-argument isn't sound, and physicalism of the mind is not refuted by it.