Descartes

Question 1

Descartes argues for substance dualism what does this mean?

Answer 1

The mind and body are distinct substances with different essential properties.

Question 2

He presents three arguments to defend his substance dualism, name all three.

Answer 2

.Argument from doubt
.Argument from clear and distinct perception
.Argument from divisibility and non divisibility

Question 3

What is the argument from doubt?

Answer 3

.This is where Descartes famous quote, i think therefore i am comes from.
.He argues that from the very process of thinking he could be certain of his own existence.
.He says that we can doubt that our bodies exist but never our minds because we are thinking and doubting using our minds which means our bodies are separate from our minds.

Question 4

What is the argument from divisibility and non divisibility?

Answer 4

1) All bodies are extended in space (3D - take up physical space) so therefore divisible.
2) Minds are not extended in space so are not divisible.
3)Therefore minds are radically different from bodies
- Counter argument = Modern neuroscience shows a close correlation between brain and mind as when the brain is damaged so is the mind e.g. personality change after a brain injury.

Question 5

What is the argument from clear and distinct perceptions?

Answer 5

1) Whatever I can clearly and distinctly perceive as two different things can be created by God as two different things.
2)I have a clear and distinct idea of myself as a non-extended thinking thing.
3)I have a clear and distinct idea of my body as an extended non thinking thing.
4)So I and my body can exist apart from each other
5)So I am distinct from my body.
- Counter argument = Strange looking argument as elsewhere Descartes deduces the existence of God from clear and distinct perceptions but now he is trying to deduce the reliability of our clear and distinct perceptions from Gods existence which is a very circular argument.

Question 6

What is Ryle’s criticism of Descartes?

Answer 6

The Ghost in the Machine
.Ryle says it is a category mistake to separate the body and the mind.
.He uses the example of someone visiting a library and seeing all the different colleges, labs, libraries etc and then asking ‘where is the university?’ - there is no university above or over its components.
.In the same way Ryle argues that you should not expect to find a mind over or above the various components and actions of the body.

Question 7

What are Hume’s two criticisms of Descartes?

Answer 7

1) Hume - Circular argument
.Hume says the whole idea of a substance is completely confused
.To argue as Descartes does that consciousness emerges from a non-material substance solves nothing because it amounts to saying ‘We need to explain how a substance can think, a substance can think because the soul exists as a thinking substance’ which is clearly a circular argument.
2) Hume - Souls cannot be counted
.If souls are not in space and are not visible how do we know that the body has just one soul? It is just an assumption that there is a one to one body/soul relationship.