Philosophy- Core- The mind-Body Problem
- Created by: Maria Rumbol
- Created on: 30-03-13 15:51
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- The Mind-Body Problem
- Dualism
- The view that humans have two parts, a physical body and a non-physical mind
- Descartes
- The view that humans have two parts, a physical body and a non-physical mind
- We can imagine ourselves separate from our body or talk of ourselves in a dualistic way
- Materialism
- The view that humans have a material body only
- Our minds and brains are identical
- There is no non-physical mind or soul
- Humans are entiraly physical
- There is no non-physical mind or soul
- Everything consists of physical matter and forces which determines how matter behaves
- Conscious states are brain states- there is a mental state for a brain state
- Some see the mind and brain as identical, others view them as separate
- Localisation
- Materialism
- The view that humans have a material body only
- Our minds and brains are identical
- There is no non-physical mind or soul
- Humans are entiraly physical
- There is no non-physical mind or soul
- Everything consists of physical matter and forces which determines how matter behaves
- Conscious states are brain states- there is a mental state for a brain state
- Different mental events are associated with different parts of the brain
- Mental activity is localised in different areas
- Localisation
- Different mental events are associated with different parts of the brain
- Mental activity is localised in different areas
- Mental activity is localised in different areas
- Studies on brain damage patients show that damage to certain areas of the brain produce characteristic faults
- Different mental events are associated with different parts of the brain
- Localisation
- Mental activity is localised in different areas
- Studies on brain damage patients show that damage to certain areas of the brain produce characteristic faults
- Materialism
- Qualia and Consciousness
- qualia- raw experiences, e.g. tasting wine; feeling sunlight on one's skin
- 'emergent property' - do unconscious atoms combine to make something conscious- e.g. glucose made sweet
- Dualism
- Descartes
- We can imagine ourselves separate from our body or talk of ourselves in a dualistic way
- Descartes
- Only humans have minds. It is our inner mental life that makes us human.
- The fact that we are thinking beings is evidence of the mind- we question our existence.
- Divisibility
- 'there is a vast difference between the mind and the body, in that the body is always divisible, while the mind is completely indivisible
- Physical things can be divided but thoughts cannot so they must take place in a non-physical mind
- Extentislism
- Our bodies and other physical objects have 'extensions'. -they can be located in space but thoughts cannot be.
- therefore, since thoughts do not have extension, the mind must therefore be non-physical
- Our bodies and other physical objects have 'extensions'. -they can be located in space but thoughts cannot be.
- Continuity of Identity
- A non-physcial mind gives our identity.
- We change over time but there remains a sence of ourselves- due to our mind which cannot changesince it is non-physical
- We must have a non-physical mind to posess free will or we are entirely goverened by the law of physicss
- Dualism
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