Minds and Bodies

Two possibilities: Monism: the view that the world consists of one kind of thing Substance Dualism: The view that the world consists of two distinct kinds of things, minds and bodies.

Descartes is a substance dualist Descartes is a substance dualist. He believes that there are minds and bodies are distinct kinds of things. They are characterized by distinct properties The mind is characterized by thought The body is characterized by extension

Alternatives to dualism A materialist holds that everything is physical. What we call “mind” or “thought” is understood in terms of physical processes (probably in the brain) An Idealist holds that the world is mental or mind dependent. Material objects are understood in terms of conscious experience.

Descartes argument for dualism Whatever can be understood as distinct really is distinct We can understand the mind without the body We can understand the body without the mind Therefore there is a real distinction between mind and body.

Is it true that we can understand our minds independently of anything physical? Is it true that whatever we can understand as distinct is really distinct? Lightning is identical to an electrical discharge, but it was a scientific discovery that these “two” things were really one. Could the same be true of mind/body?

Another argument for dualism Physical things are spatially extended (have a certain size, exist in space) Minds have no spatial extension Whatever is identical must have all properties in common. Therefore minds and bodies are distinct things.

The Mind/Body Problem Descartes is an interactionist dualist. He believes that there is causal interaction between minds and bodies. When I move my hand my mind causes my body to move. When I stub my toe, my body causes my mind to experience pain http://prosblogion.ektopos.com/

It’s hard to understand how interaction is possible It seems that when two things causally interact, they must share a common medium, they must be able to “meet up” somehow One billiard ball can cause another to move only because they are both in space and can touch each other The Moon and Earth do not touch, but they share the medium of space. Even “action at a distance” presupposes a common medium