Eliminative materialism
In the philosophy of mind, eliminative materialism is the most radical form of materialism (physicalism).
Eliminative materialists believe that consciousness does not exist except as an epiphenomenon of brain function and some believe that the concept will eventually be eliminated as neuroscience progresses. Similarly, they argue that folk psychological concepts such as belief, desire and intention are illusory and therefore do not have any consistent neurological substrate.
Proponents of this view often make parallels to previous scientific theories which have been eliminated, such as the four humours theory of medicine, the phlogiston theory of combustion and 'vital force' theory of life. In these cases, science has not produced more detailed versions of these theories, but rejected them as obselete. Eliminative materialists argue that folk psychology is headed the same way. According to W.V. Quine it will take tens of years before folk psychology will be replaced with real science.
This view is most associated with philosophers Paul and Patricia Churchland, although philosophers such as Daniel Dennett and Lynne Rudder Baker would also consider themselves eliminativists for many aspects of psychology.