Final answer:
Token physicalism states that each actual mental state is identical to a physical state but does not commit to the idea that all possible mental states are physical, making it a less committal and weaker form of physicalism. It does not fully address dualist challenges like the mind-body problem.
Step-by-step explanation:
Token Physicalism
Token physicalism is a philosophical position that asserts every actual instance of a mental state is identical with some physical state. However, unlike other forms of physicalism, it does not commit to the idea that every possible mental state is correlated with a physical state. This makes the thesis weak as it is not very committal, leaving room for nonphysical entities or states in a possible world that is not actual.
Weaknesses of Token Physicalism
One weakness of token physicalism is that it's a minimal claim that does not account for the nature of mental states that have not occurred. It's less committal as it pertains only to individual occurrences of mental states. Critics argue that due to its lack of a strong commitment to physicalism in all possible scenarios, it does not adequately respond to the challenge of explaining potential interaction between the physical and non-physical, thus not addressing issues raised by dualism.
Dualism presents a significant challenge to token physicalism. The dualist argument raises the mind-body problem, which questions how non-physical mind can interact with the physical body without violating the principle of the conservation of energy or Ockam’s Razor. Token physicalism's minimalistic approach fails to provide a robust mechanism for this interaction, suggesting a potential limitation in its explanatory power.
Ultimately, while token physicalism might align with the evidence provided by neuroscience and adhere to physicalist assumptions, its limited scope in dealing only with actual instances rather than all possible instances makes it a less definitive stance within the philosophy of mind.