Philosophy – Unit 3 The Nature of Mind and Body – dualism v. materialism

Learning Intentions  To develop an awareness, and demonstrate an understanding, of the key distinctions between Dualism and Materialism

Standard form argument P1 P2 ______________________________ ∴ My Philosophy students must have completed their homework

Standard form argument P1 All good students complete their homework P2 My philosophy students are good students ______________________________ ∴ My Philosophy students must have completed their homework

Mind Map TASK: Using the Generate/Sort/Connect/Elaborate technique, produce a mind map which includes and shows the relationships between the following words: MINDSOUL BODYBRAIN PHYSICAL MENTAL SPIRITUALCONSCIOUSNESS THINKING REASON PERSONALITYIDENTITY BEHAVIOURPERCEPTION SELF LIFE Your mind map needs to be large enough for other students to see whilst you share your thinking with them.

Metaphysics

Behaviour Mental Thoughts Mind Body Consciousness Spiritual Personality Brain Death Soul Reason

Metaphysics Behaviour Mental Thoughts Mind Body Consciousness Spiritual Personality Brain Death Soul Reason

Metaphysics Behaviour Mental Thoughts Mind Body Consciousness Spiritual Personality Brain Death Soul Reason Death is a purely physical process The brain connects the mind and the body Consciousness is the minds awareness of itself

Historical context & implications Ancient Greece ‘Psyche’ – best translated as ‘soul’ but more specifically meant ‘the life principle’ or the thing that makes something alive. (PLATO) Judaeo-Christian heritage Soul is something spiritual and is linked to God/resurrection and salvation. Christians associated the soul with purity and communion with God, while the flesh is earthly, tempted to sin and relatively dispensable.

Historical context & implications Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries With the birth of modern science, thinkers started to consider the conscious mind as synonymous with the soul and as the holder of identity, personality and rational thought. (DESCARTES) Modern Thought (last 150 years) The brain and the mind (or soul) are seen as identical, physical substances. Although it may seem common sense to us, this is a radical departure from the dominant Western view for at least 2500 years: that the immaterial soul is separate from the physical body. (ARMSTRONG)

Implications  ‘Soul’ and ‘Mind’ are slippery terms.  This should not be a cause for worry, but rather, a small warning: when you are using these terms, you should be clear what your precise understanding of them is, in the particular context in which you are reading and writing. THINK PAIR SHARE Which of the uses of the terms ‘soul’ (psyche) and ‘mind’ are closest to your own understanding? Why do you think this is? What has been the strongest influence in developing your views?

The Mind/Body Problem  As you may have noticed, views about the mind, soul and body tend to split into two broad camps.  On the one hand, some of you may see the mind and soul as ethereal and spiritual in nature, unable to be seen or touched. This soul or mind is attached to, but always remains distinct from, the body. - This is known as Dualism  For other students, the mind and soul may be synonymous with the brain, and nothing more than a phenomenon which arises from the physical functioning of the brain. - This is known as materialism or physicalism

Philosophical Glossary  This year, we will be building and maintaining a glossary of philosophical terms in the last few pages of your exercise book.  This glossary will help you in revising for both SACs and the exam.

Dualism vs. Materialism – Key terms Dualism The mind and body must be separate, with mind quite distinct from the brain. With this view it may be easy to explain the possibility of life after death. (Socrates, Plato and Descartes) Monism Believing that mind and body are one thing. Most common is that there is only one body and is referred to as Materialism or Physicalism. Materialism The view that there is just the physical body, of which the mind is just one aspect, located in or identical to the brain.

 Find the definition of the following terms and copy them into your new glossary. -Idealism -Mind/Body Problem -Philosophy of Mind

The Appeal of dualism/materialism  Due to our shared Judeo- Christian cultural heritage, its common for people to refer to their minds/souls as being separate and distinct from their bodies. -Popular within Christianity. If our souls are made of a separate substance to the body, then when the body dies, the soul is liberated and can move onto the afterlife/paradise/heaven etc.

 Dualism also meshes well with our everyday experiences of the world. -According to physics, the world is a jumble of thoughtless, colourless particles smashing against one another randomly. -But that is NOT how I feel about my wife, my mother, or when I read Harry Potter under a beautiful big tree in Fitzroy Gardens.  Some people find it difficult to believe that a purely material object, like the mushy porridge we call a brain, can account for all of the amazing experiences we as humans can have. -Falling in love for the first time -Looking at, or creating, beautiful pieces of art.

TASK:  Read pages 6-8 of the textbook.  Complete the following: 1)Select ONE of the arguments for dualism (given in the above pages) and write it in Standard Form. Hint: Remember to write the conclusion first! “Therefore mind and body must be two separate substances” 2) Of the arguments provided, which seems to you to be the strongest? Why? Can you add an example to strengthen your response?