Mind and Body: Arguments for Dualism

Question 1

what is property dualism?

Answer 1

• Spinoza
• Only one type of matter (a single substance) which has two distinct properties: the physical and the mental.
• Example: If I break my leg I have physically got a broken leg and mentally I am experiencing pain.

Question 2

what is substance dualism?

Answer 2

• Descartes

- the mind and body are ontologically distinct

Question 3

what constitutes the mind and body?

Answer 3

• Hume: empiricist and suggested that the mind as a substance lacked empirical content
• Descartes: highlighted the distinction between mind and body through the wax example. However many have criticised “I” which represents the mind as being too vague.
• Spinoza: The mind and body are two parts of one whole.

Question 4

arguments for dualism: doubt and indubitability

Answer 4

-Leibniz’s law: 2 entities are identical if they share all the same properties. If even one of the properties is not shared then they are not identical.
-the clear distinction between mind and body.
Body is divisible
actually the mind is divisible too
Descartes use of the word I portrays a unitary individual
i cannot doubt that I am a thinking thing I can doubt the existence of my body-mind and body cannot be identical
subjective impression of his being not claiming objectively he is only a thinking thing

Question 5

arguments for dualism: mind and body

Answer 5

privileged access: introspection know directly my private stuff
qualia only my min can experince the qualitiative feel of my consious experience and they’re subjective and cannot be reduced to a objective physical existence
they have intenionality
laws of physics

Question 6

arguments for dualism: internationalism

Answer 6

relationship between mind and body how they interact and influence each other
the pineal gland-unsatisfactory because only where not how
would somehow have to bridge two ontologically distinct realms -how do they connect to a single body
conservation of enegery -there would ahve to be flutcations in energy levels
pschopallleism: mind and body work in harmony with each other rather than connected
epiphenomenalism mental events are caused by physical events-metal is a by-produict

Question 7

arguments for dualism: free will

Answer 7

a