Consciousness Invented Flashcards
Before the concept of a “mind” was invented in the 16th and 17th century, what were the common beliefs?
Emphasis was placed on the soul. Plato and Aquinas believed that the soul was the essence of the body.
Explain “Cogito Ergo Sum”.
Cogito ergo sum translates as though he may doubt, he cannot doubt that he exists which is a significant proposition by Renee Descartes.
Descartes believed in substance dualism. What did he consider to be distinct entities?
The thinking thing(mind/soul) and the body.
Descartes believed in the deductive approach and reason as a source of knowledge which means he was a…?
Rationalist.
What was the significance of the “wax argument” proposed by Descartes?
The wax argument showed that our senses alone can’t inform us of the continuity of change of state in a substance. So knowledge isn’t always derived from the senses.
Descartes believed in substance dualism so how did he think the mind and body interacted?
Descartes thought that God made the mind and body intimately intertwined and although they were separate, it was one of God’s miracles that they couldn’t be separated.
Aristotle believed that there were 3 types of souls, vegetative, sensitive and rational but what did Descartes believe?
Descartes believed that only humans had souls.
John Locke was an empiricist which means…
He believed knowledge derived from experience, either through the senses or introspection.
Locke was said to support a “softer “ version of innateness regarding epistemology. What does this mean?
Locke believed that knowledge is acquired but the cognitive mechanisms that interpret, store and modify knowledge are innate.
Knowledge is the perception of the connection and repugnancy of our ideas. Who believed this?
John Locke. He believed knowledge is relative to our ideas.
