causal exclusion argument

The causal exclusion argument suggests that if physical science fully explains how the brain produces behavior, then mental states (like thoughts or feelings) cannot have independent causal effects—they would just be redundant. In other words, mental causes would be "excluded" because physical causes already account for everything. This raises questions about the existence of mental causes influencing physical processes. It aims to show that if the physical world is complete, then mental states cannot be causally effective, challenging the idea that mind and body are separate or that mental states have a real causal role beyond physical explanations.