Metaphysics of the Mind

Question 1

Substance

Answer 1

A thing that can exist on its own, independently of anything else.

Question 2

Monists

Answer 2

Believes that there is only one substance in the universe, matter

Question 3

Dualists

Answer 3

Believes that there are two substances in the universe, matter and non-physical substances

Question 4

Qualia

Answer 4

The subjective or qualitative properties of experiences

Question 5

Phenomenology

Answer 5

The study of conscious experiences from the first-personal point of view (such as thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations and qualia)

Question 6

Intentionality

Answer 6

The power of minds and mental states to be about, to represent, or to stand for, things, properties and states of affairs

Question 7

Infallibility

Answer 7

I cannot be mistaken about them.

Question 8

Introspective access

Answer 8

I can access my thoughts easily in a way that
you cannot access my thoughts; my thoughts
are first-personal

Question 9

Immediate access

Answer 9

I don’t have to wait a while until I realise what I’m thinking

Question 10

Ineffability

Answer 10

The incapability to express my thoughts in words

Question 11

Intrinsic nature

Answer 11

They cannot be broken down into parts.

Question 12

Substance Dualism/Cartesian Dualism (Descartes)

Answer 12

Humans are compositions of physical (the brain) and non-physical (the mind) substances. These substances are intermingled, yet distinct

Question 13

Leibniz’s Law of Identity

Answer 13

If A is the same thing as B, then whatever is true of A is also true of B

Question 14

1 Strength of Substance Dualism

Answer 14

Cartesian dualism is popular among people who believe in life after death because it allows our minds (or souls) can exist after the physical body dies

Question 15

2 Strength of Substance Dualism

Answer 15

We sometimes talk as if the mind and body are distinct

Question 16

3 Strength of Substance Dualism

Answer 16

It seems hard to admit that the experience of falling in love, going on a rollercoaster and feeling grief-stricken are just neurochemical occurrences; QUALIA seem to be non-physical

Question 17

CRITICISM OF SUBSTANCE DUALISM (The Problem of Counting Souls)

Answer 17

It is not clear why one mind is associated with one
body: one body could have numerous minds (souls)
and we wouldn’t know it

Question 18

2 Criticism of Substance Dualism

Answer 18

The mind and body appear to interact (when I feel
sad, my eyes start to cry); it seems clear that my
mind is linked to the body- perhaps because the
mind is the brain.

Question 19

Response to #2 Criticism of Substance Dualism

Answer 19

The mind and body are INTERMINGLED so that I can feel pain rather than just notice the injury. A human is a composite substance consisting of both a mind and a body.

Question 20

Argument from Indivisibility

Answer 20

P1. The mind is indivisible whereas the body is divisible
P2. ((implied) If A is the same thing as B, then whatever is true of A will also be true of B (Leibniz’s Law)
C. Therefore, my mind and brain are different substances

Question 21

1 Criticism of the Argument from Indivisibility (The Mind is Divisible)

Answer 21

P1. Descartes claimed that due to the fact that the mind is indivisible and the brain is divisible, they are distinct
P2. Patients of the “split-brain” operations act as if their hemispheres operate independently of each other, controlling one side of our body
P3. The patients act as if they have two minds
C1. This means that the mind is divisible, metaphysically and actually possible, meaning that divisibility can be a property of non-physical substances
P4. The division of the mind occurs at the same time as the two halves of the brain are separate
C2. This strongly suggests that the mind is the brain

Question 22

Response to #1 Criticism of the Argument from Indivisibility

Answer 22

This “two minds working against other” phenomenon only occurs in a few split-brain patients, many acts as if they have a single mind

Question 23

Rebuttal to the response to #1 Criticism of the Argument from Indivisibility

Answer 23

It could be said that people with multiple personalities

disorder have multiple minds- and yet they only have one brain

Question 24

2 Criticism of the Argument from Indivisibility (Not Everything Physical is Divisibility)

Answer 24

P1. Descartes claimed that due to the fact that the mind is indivisible and the brain is divisible, they are distinct
P2. Not everything physical is divisible e.g. according to physics, subatomic particles are indivisible
C1. This means that not all physical things are divisible
P3. If not all physical things are divisible, then divisibility is not an essential property of physical things
C2. This means that the mind (like a subatomic particle) could be both physical and indivisible

Question 25

Response to #2 Criticism of the Argument from Indivisibility

Answer 25

Descartes doesn’t need to show that all physical things
are divisible, only that brains are divisible whilst
minds are not

Question 26

Rebuttal to the response to #2 Criticism of the Argument from Indivisibility

Answer 26

Using Descartes’ Conceivability Argument, we can conceive of a mind being divided. If we can conceive of said mind, then its metaphysically possible