Final answer:
The action test argument refers to the exploratory evaluation of how free will, moral responsibility, and mind-brain correlations are challenged by neuroscience, particularly in the context of actions being predetermined by brain states.
Step-by-step explanation:
The action test argument pertains to the challenge of understanding animal consciousness and the underpinning ethics concerning how we treat animals based on our presumed mental superiority. It becomes relevant in the context of examining the moral implications of brain functioning, free will, and responsibility which often reference the interplay between brain states and mental states. The ongoing research in neuroscience has implications for the philosophy of mind, particularly in the realm of morality and ethics, questioning if our actions and their moral assessments might be post-hoc rationalizations of nearly automatic brain responses.
In essence, the action test argument would explore the degree to which our brain states determine our actions and whether there is still room for free will. This becomes particularly compelling when considering Benjamin Libet's experiments suggesting many actions are pre-determined by the brain, prompting further inquiry into our understanding of consciousness and moral responsibility.