Dual aspect monism Flashcards
why is it different to dualism and physicalism?
It holds that there is only one kind of substance but it is also not physicalism because it doesn’t reduce mind to matter.
Why is it monist?
It argues that there is only one kind of ontological entity but that the entity has two aspects and neither is greater than the other.
How does it avoid the problems with substance dualism and physicalism?
- Solves the issue on how the two substances react since they are the same substance, though the single substance of dual aspect monism is unknown.
- Avoids physicalism’s problem with qualia.
How does quantum theory support this argument?
Dual aspect monism recieves powerful support from quantum theory in describing the relationship between two aspects like how wave and particle aspects cannot be observed simultaneously but together they provide a fuller description than either on their own - reality itself at a basic level has a dual aspect of wave-particle duality.
What is panpsychism and how does it relate to dual aspect monism?
.Panpsychism - The view that there is a level of consciousness/mentality in all entities in the universe including quantum particles.
.Panpsychism and dual aspect monism are mutually supporting as dual aspect monism holds hat the fundamentalist reality is a single substance with mental and physical aspects.
.Solves the problem of the conscious states of other animals as all animals are conscious just at a different level/ lesser degree than us since their brain structures are less complex
what is the self according to dual aspect monism?
.The self is a complex psycho-physical arrangement with first person subjective and third person characteristics.
.Imagine biting into a bar of chocolate, it will produce a state of your brain that has two aspects :
- The mental aspect of the taste and texture of the chocolate
- The physical aspect involving electrical and chemical changes in your brain.
What are souls according to dual aspect monism?
Persons are bodies and brains which are not just physical systems but objects with both physical and mental aspects.
