Mind Body Problem

The Mind Body ProblemThe Mind Body Problem

Introduction to Philosophy Introduction to Philosophy

Mind Body Problem Mind Body Problem

• We have a conception of at least two different kinds of We have a conception of at least two different kinds of things that exist in the world, mental and physical. things that exist in the world, mental and physical.

• examples: examples: • Intuitively, there seem to be two different types of Intuitively, there seem to be two different types of

reality: Mid and Bodyreality: Mid and Body• Bodies are solid, material entities, extended in three Bodies are solid, material entities, extended in three

dimensional space, observable, capable of causing dimensional space, observable, capable of causing things to happen in accordance with invariant laws.things to happen in accordance with invariant laws.

• A Mind on the other hand has non of these properties, A Mind on the other hand has non of these properties, it is not extended in three dimensional space, does not it is not extended in three dimensional space, does not occupy space at all, is unobservable. occupy space at all, is unobservable.

Mind and Body Problem Mind and Body Problem

• Philosophers tried to answer the question of the Philosophers tried to answer the question of the relationship between mind and body. relationship between mind and body.

• One answer says that there is basically no One answer says that there is basically no connection whatever between any mental connection whatever between any mental phenomena and any physical phenomena.phenomena and any physical phenomena.

• This view is called parallelism. It says that mental This view is called parallelism. It says that mental phenomena and physical phenomena exist, as it phenomena and physical phenomena exist, as it were, in two utterly separate realms, going on were, in two utterly separate realms, going on independently of each other. independently of each other.

• Mental events have no effect on any physical Mental events have no effect on any physical events, and physical events have no effect on any events, and physical events have no effect on any mental events. mental events.


• Another view says that there simply are no Another view says that there simply are no mental phenomena. There is only the physical mental phenomena. There is only the physical world. world.

• The existence of consciousness, therefore, The existence of consciousness, therefore, must be some kind of massive delusion: must be some kind of massive delusion: contrary to popular opinion, nobody has any contrary to popular opinion, nobody has any opinions, desires, or feelings. We are all just opinions, desires, or feelings. We are all just mindless automata. This view may be called mindless automata. This view may be called radical materialism or eliminative materialism. radical materialism or eliminative materialism.


• A third view is that there are no physical A third view is that there are no physical phenomena, there are only ideas in our phenomena, there are only ideas in our minds. Contrary to popular opinion, minds. Contrary to popular opinion, therefore, there really aren't any pencils, therefore, there really aren't any pencils, mountains, or matter. The whole physical mountains, or matter. The whole physical world is all in our minds. This view is called world is all in our minds. This view is called idealism, and it was held by Bishop idealism, and it was held by Bishop Berkeley, who preferred, however, to say Berkeley, who preferred, however, to say that pencils were ideas rather than that that pencils were ideas rather than that pencils don't exist. pencils don't exist.

Mind Body ProblemMind Body Problem

• A fourth view is that mental phenomena are, A fourth view is that mental phenomena are, surprisingly, a subset of physical phenomena. surprisingly, a subset of physical phenomena.

• All mental states, it turns out, are really states of All mental states, it turns out, are really states of the central nervous systems of animals. the central nervous systems of animals.

• "Pain" just happens to be another word for a "Pain" just happens to be another word for a certain kind of brain state, just as "light" happens certain kind of brain state, just as "light" happens to be another word for electromagnetic radiation to be another word for electromagnetic radiation within a certain range of wavelengths. This view within a certain range of wavelengths. This view is called the mind/brain identity theory. is called the mind/brain identity theory.

Mind Body Problem Mind Body Problem

• Another answer to the problem says Another answer to the problem says that there exist two distinct entities, that there exist two distinct entities, body and soul, that interact with body and soul, that interact with each other causally, though it is not each other causally, though it is not known how. This is called Cartesian known how. This is called Cartesian dualism, after Descartes. dualism, after Descartes.

Cartesian DualismCartesian Dualism

• Dualism is an ancient concept rooted in Greek Dualism is an ancient concept rooted in Greek thought as we have studied in Plato ( Allegory of thought as we have studied in Plato ( Allegory of the Cave). the Cave).

• The Greeks held that a man's soul was of an The Greeks held that a man's soul was of an entirely different essence than his body. These entirely different essence than his body. These dual entities had no interaction with one another.dual entities had no interaction with one another.

• Dualism implies the dichotomy of soul and body, Dualism implies the dichotomy of soul and body,

an absolute split.an absolute split.


• Rene Descartes (1596-1650 believed in an independent Rene Descartes (1596-1650 believed in an independent nonmaterial soul inhabiting and finding expression in a nonmaterial soul inhabiting and finding expression in a mechanically operated body. mechanically operated body.

• The reality of the body needed no proof, the reality of the The reality of the body needed no proof, the reality of the soul did. soul did.

• Descartes used his aphorism as proof: Descartes used his aphorism as proof: cogito ergo sumcogito ergo sum, "I , "I Think, therefore I am." Think, therefore I am."

• We cannot doubt the existence of our own self, because we We cannot doubt the existence of our own self, because we cannot doubt it unless there is a self to do the doubting. cannot doubt it unless there is a self to do the doubting.

Cartesian DualismCartesian Dualism• There are two components constituting human beings. These There are two components constituting human beings. These

components are of independent origin and are of a fundamentally components are of independent origin and are of a fundamentally different nature. different nature.

• The body could be divided by the removal of a leg or an arm, but The body could be divided by the removal of a leg or an arm, but the soul was indivisible. the soul was indivisible.

• The soul occupied the whole body in all its parts, but the The soul occupied the whole body in all its parts, but the reduction of the body in any way did not reduce the soul. reduction of the body in any way did not reduce the soul.

• The body was procreated, the soul was created. Though the two The body was procreated, the soul was created. Though the two realities were of an entirely different nature, they could react realities were of an entirely different nature, they could react upon each other, the soul on the body and the body on the soul. upon each other, the soul on the body and the body on the soul.

• How this reaction takes place is a mystery nevertheless; only How this reaction takes place is a mystery nevertheless; only Descartes spelled it differently--dualism.Descartes spelled it differently--dualism.


• Descartes held that the brain (along with the rest of the body) was Descartes held that the brain (along with the rest of the body) was purely mechanistic in its principle of operation. purely mechanistic in its principle of operation.

• According to Descartes animals did not possess a soul and thus their According to Descartes animals did not possess a soul and thus their actions were mechanical.actions were mechanical.

• The sense perceptions and physical passions of men are mechanical The sense perceptions and physical passions of men are mechanical and dependent upon the body, but awareness consciousness of the and dependent upon the body, but awareness consciousness of the body lies in the soul. body lies in the soul.

• The important thing then is to inquire how the soul becomes aware The important thing then is to inquire how the soul becomes aware (i.e., conscious and self-conscious) and how it succeeds in acting (i.e., conscious and self-conscious) and how it succeeds in acting upon the body. upon the body.

• Its awareness is due to the action of the body upon it, but how does Its awareness is due to the action of the body upon it, but how does it in turn act upon the body when it exercises will? it in turn act upon the body when it exercises will?


• The body is extended matter: the soul is unextended spirit.The body is extended matter: the soul is unextended spirit.

• When, however, the extended is acted upon by the When, however, the extended is acted upon by the unextended, some definite point of interaction is required unextended, some definite point of interaction is required and it is to be found in the pineal gland. and it is to be found in the pineal gland.

• Yet the "soul is united to all parts of the body conjointly." Yet the "soul is united to all parts of the body conjointly." The whole body is the soul's proper housing so long as the The whole body is the soul's proper housing so long as the body remains intact. body remains intact.

• When a member of the body--an arm or a leg, for example--When a member of the body--an arm or a leg, for example--is cut off, there is no loss of part of the soul as a is cut off, there is no loss of part of the soul as a consequence because the soul is unitary and indivisible. It consequence because the soul is unitary and indivisible. It then occupies what is left of the body.then occupies what is left of the body.

• The point of interaction, according to Descartes, was at the site of the The point of interaction, according to Descartes, was at the site of the pineal gland, the only place he thought that is not duplicate as all other pineal gland, the only place he thought that is not duplicate as all other brain structures were thought to be. brain structures were thought to be.

• The soul was not, however, to be viewed as somehow shut up in the The soul was not, however, to be viewed as somehow shut up in the pineal gland. The gland is merely the point of interaction, not the seat of pineal gland. The gland is merely the point of interaction, not the seat of the soul in any fuller sense.the soul in any fuller sense.


• According to Descartes there is a dualism of mind According to Descartes there is a dualism of mind and body, and their interaction is clearly real. and body, and their interaction is clearly real.

• The brain is the major locus for the mind or The brain is the major locus for the mind or consciousness of the soul, yet mind or consciousness of the soul, yet mind or consciousness is distributed throughout the whole consciousness is distributed throughout the whole body. The point of interaction between the two is body. The point of interaction between the two is the pineal gland.the pineal gland.

• Descartes lent his authority to the long-held view Descartes lent his authority to the long-held view that the mind is associated in a particular way with that the mind is associated in a particular way with the brain, but he made mind and brain separate the brain, but he made mind and brain separate entities. entities.

Materialism Materialism

• Materialism is a general view about what actually Materialism is a general view about what actually exists. Everything that exists is material, or exists. Everything that exists is material, or physical. physical.

• Many philosophers and scientists now use the Many philosophers and scientists now use the terms `material' and `physical' interchangeably terms `material' and `physical' interchangeably (for a version of physicalism distinct from (for a version of physicalism distinct from materialism, see physicalism). materialism, see physicalism).

• Materialism is an Materialism is an ontologicalontological, or a , or a metaphysicalmetaphysical, , view; it is not just an epistemological view about view; it is not just an epistemological view about how we know or just a semantic view about the how we know or just a semantic view about the meaning of terms.meaning of terms.

Materialism/Physicalism Materialism/Physicalism

• Physicalism is a world view that Physicalism is a world view that everything that exists is nothing but everything that exists is nothing but a single spatiotemporal system whih a single spatiotemporal system whih can be completely described in terms can be completely described in terms o some idea of physics.o some idea of physics.

• Matter/energy is all that exists. God, Matter/energy is all that exists. God, souls, and nonphysical abstract souls, and nonphysical abstract entities do not exist.entities do not exist.

Education

Mind Body Problem