Dualism Flashcards
Descartes’ Conceivability argument
P1 I have a clear and distinct conception of mind as something separate from body.
P2 If I can conceive of something, it is logically and metaphysically possible (unlike a triangle with 4 sides).
P3 I CAN conceive of the mind as something separate from the body.
C1 Therefore, it is both logically and metaphysically possible that mind is something separate from the body.
C2 Therefore, mind IS a completely independent substance to matter (substance dualism).
Chalmers’ Zombie Argument
P1 I can conceive of a (philosophical) zombie, that is creatures that are microphysically identical to conscious beings but that lack consciousness entirely.
P2 If zombies are conceivable, then they are metaphysically possible.
C1 Zombies are metaphysically possible (from P1 and P2).
P3 If zombies are metaphysically possible, then consciousness is nonphysical.
C2 Consciousness is nonphysical (from C1 and P3). Physicalism is false.
Jackson’s Mary’s Room
P1 Mary (in her black and white room) knows every possible physical fact about the colour red and its experience, i.e. the complete biological, chemical, and physical situation.
P2 Despite P1, Mary (in her room) has no experience of what the colour red feels like.
C1 Therefore, there is something about red beyond any physical fact or description (the qualia of ‘Red’).
C2 Therefore, there are nonphysical realities (the qualia of ‘Red’). Physicalism is false.
Descartes’ Divisibility Argument
P1 My body is divisible.
P2 My mind is not divisible.
P3 My body and mind are separate things.
–> Leibniz’s identity principle = If A and B have different properties, then A and B are different substances.
Mill’s analogy for other minds
P1 I have a mind.
P2 My mind causes my behaviours.
P3 Other people have bodies and behave similarly.
P4 By analogy, their behaviour has the same type of cause as my behaviour; a mind.
C Therefore, other people have minds.
