He thinks this proves that all things are physical, when he himself is explaining that certain non-physical things are have a connection to physical things.
The other error is thinking “reality” = “the physical” — although he doesn’t think this, because of non-physical systems.
1 All formal systems are connected to the physical at at least one point
2 Formal systems exist
3 For X to be connected to Y by a cord, X is not a subset of Y
4 So formal systems are not physical [1, 3]
5 So non-physical entities exist [2, 4]
Further, I add
6 Formal systems contain information
7 ∴ Not all information is physical [5, 6]
Extreme physicalists have a really hard time when they try to claim that non-physical things are ‘really’ physical by positing they are ‘connected’ to the physical.
Because “connected to the physical” ⇏ “is physical.”
The mental is connected to the physical.
“connected to the physical” ⇏ “is physical.”
The mental is connected to the physical.
Neither of these works:
1 The mental is connected to the physical
2 ∴ the physical is mental
1 The mental is connected to the physical
2 ∴ the mental is physical
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