PHILOSOPHY: Soul, Mind and Body - Dualism

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  • SOUL MIND AND BODY - DUALISM (PLATO's BELIEFS)
    • Key Terms
      • Dualism: The idea that the mind and body are distinct substances
      • Materialism: The idea that the mind and body can be explained through physical or material interactions
      • Fallacy, Circular Reasoning: When the conclusion is implied in the premises
      • Fallacy, Homunculus: (Greek, "little man") A logical fallacy where a problem is explained by the same problem it seeks to explain
      • Fallacy, Invalid: A fallacy where the conclusion does not flow from the premises.
      • Fallacy, Unsound: A Fallacy where one or more of the premises are not true
      • Tripartite Nature of the Soul: In the Platonic Dualism, the belief that the soul is made of three parts: Reason, spirit and appetite
    • Platonic Dualism
      • In Phaedrus:  Plato presents the analogy of the CHARIOTEER to illustrate the tripartite nature of the soul
        • Allegory of the Charioteer: Charioteer driving a chariot pulled by two winged horses: The Charioteer represents intellect, reason, or the part of the soul that must guide the soul to truth; one horse represents rational or moral impulse or the positive part of passionate nature (e.g., righteous indignation); while the other represents the soul's irrational passions, appetites, or concupiscent nature. The Charioteer directs the entire chariot/soul, trying to stop the horses from going different ways, and to proceed towards enlightenment.
        • Reason: The highest part of the soul. This part of the soul is the rational part that thinks, reflects and learns. It is in the brain and is represented by the Charioteer, who must control the two horses
        • Spirit: The emotive part of the soul part of the AUXILIARIES.In Plato's perfect society  this part of the soul is the brave, emotional and fights. This represents the WHITE HORSE that pulls the chariot in the direction of emotive conflict.
        • Plato's Perfect Society: Plato's ideal society, as outlined in his Republic, is primarily composed of two classes. The guardians are responsible for protecting the state, and are divided into two sub-classes: the rulers and auxiliaries. Rulers are the wisest of the guardians, and establish laws for the rest of society to follow. The auxiliaries are soldiers who defend the state, but also preserve order inside the state and serve as an example for the rest of the citizenry...
          • Reason: The highest part of the soul. This part of the soul is the rational part that thinks, reflects and learns. It is in the brain and is represented by the Charioteer, who must control the two horses
          • Spirit: The emotive part of the soul part of the AUXILIARIES.In Plato's perfect society  this part of the soul is the brave, emotional and fights. This represents the WHITE HORSE that pulls the chariot in the direction of emotive conflict.
          • Appetite: The lowest part of the soul, linked to the role of the workers   in Plato's perfect society. This part of the soul desires craves and motivates it is centred in the abdomen and is represented by the wild black horse that pulls the chariot to self - destructive craving.
        • Appetite: The lowest part of the soul, linked to the role of the workers   in Plato's perfect society. This part of the soul desires craves and motivates it is centred in the abdomen and is represented by the wild black horse that pulls the chariot to self - destructive craving.
      • Phaedo, Plato's Three Arguments for Life After Death
        • Argument  from Opposites: All things are in a constant motion or flux as Heraclitus said. This is describes through the opposites as distances are in a constant change from shot to long, same with temperature from cold to hot. This leads on for Plato to say that this must be same for the transition form life to death and then back again
          • COUNTER: However this is slightly contradictory as he states his examples of length from short to long, and temperature from cold to hot, these are all observable so we can be certain, however this is not the case from life to death and then life again. Seeming to make a leap in his conlusion
        • Argument from Recollection: Plato here state that all knowledge comes from the forms, so when we see objects such as a tree we notice this of having tree-ness qualities which he says is us RECOLLECTING "memories" from the place of the FORMS proving that we have lived once before
          • COUNTER: Once again there is no proof that we have once existed in the place of the FORMS
            • Argument from Affinity: Plato says there are two kinds or existence, the physical and non-physical (form version). He says this is that case for all things on earth e.g. people, animals, plants and feelings such as affection
        • Argument from Affinity: Plato says there are two kinds or existence, the physical and non-physical (form version). He says this is that case for all things on earth e.g. people, animals, plants and feelings such as affection
        • Phaedo is a dialogue written by Plato, claiming to recall the events and conversations the day Plato's Teacher Socrates was put to death by the state of Athens
    • Cartesian Dualism (Decartes): He says the soul resides in the body. He says the soul operates in all parts of the body. The part which the soul operates in the most is the (PINEAL GLAND) in the base of the brain. From here the soul operates the body through the ventricles, arteries. Like a huge marionette
      • He chooses the Pineal gland as in those days they thought the Pineal gland had no purpose and that they saw that the brain was clearly divisible into two halves
        • ADD CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM TO DESCRIBE THE WAY HE VIEWS THE SOUL
    • STRENGTHS
      • Child Development: Anthony Kelly supports his idea of innate lust and desires as babies and toddlers cry for supposedly no reason.
      • Realistic: This is the case as many would say there is a separate part of us that makes up our character. Also we can also support  the reasonable approach to the self and the psych.
      • Eastern Philosophy: Many eastern tradition have adopted reincarnation.Dr Ian Stevenson a modern scientist who supports evidence for reincarnation through thousands of reincarnation accounts, though not conclusive of anything stand of evidence to support Plato's claims
    • WEAKNESSES
      • Unprovable: Plato's arguments of Recollection and Affinity, part of the argument of FORMS. If this theory can be attacked it undermines the the whole argument of dualism
      • Heresy (Against what is widely accepted): The catholic church rejects the belief that the body is evil and the soul is good (Gnosticism) but believes  that the soul is the FORM of the body and that they were both made as one. They also believe there is a constant struggle between "flesh" and "man". Derived form the heritage of sin.
      • Scientifically False: Of Cartesian Dualism most of ideas were false. The Pineal gland secretes Melatonin and cannot house/ direct a soul
      • Category Error: Gilbert Ryle accuse Descartes of committing a category error, where he says the body is one lot of stuff and the soul is another. Its is a category error to think that the Universe is more than a sum of its parts. In the same way Descartes is wrong to think that the person is more than the sum of its body
      • Homunculus Fallacy: Descartes does through saying that the soul drives the body, but leaves us with a similar problem as to what drives the soul itself.

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