MoM - Substance Dualism

Question 1

What is a substance?

Answer 1

Something that does not depend on another thing to exist, which possesses properties and persists through change

Question 2

What is a property?

Answer 2

Properties depend on substances to exist, and they do not persist through change

Question 3

Outline Descartes’ conceivability argument

Answer 3

• I have a clear and distinct idea of my mind as a thinking thing that is not extended in space
• I have a clear and distinct idea of my body as a non-thinking thing that is extended in space
• Anything I can conceive of clearly and distinctly is something that God could create
• So, God could create my mind as a thinking thing that is not extended in space and my body as a non-thinking thing that is extended in space
• So, it is possible for mind and body to exist independent of each other
• So, mind and body are two separate substances

Question 4

Outline Descartes’ indivisibility argument

Answer 4

• My body is divisible
• My mind is not divisible
• Therefore my body and mind are separate

Question 5

Outline the criticism that what is conceivable may not be possible? (Conceivability argument)

Answer 5

• Descartes argues that it is possible for the mind to be distinct from the body due to the fact that he can conceive of the mind being separate to the body
• This does not follow as it is possible that Descartes’ conception of the mind is mistaken, such that (unbeknownst to him) the mind is not ontologically distinct and cannot exist without the body; masked man fallacy

Question 6

Outline the masked man fallacy (part of the what is conceivable may not be possible issue)

Answer 6

• the masked man has the property of being someone i conceive of as having robbed the bank
• my father lacks the property of bring someone i conceive of as having robbed the bank
• therefore my father is not identical with the masked man

Question 7

How could Descartes reply to the criticism that what is conceivable may not be possible?

Answer 7

He may accept that you cannot always infer from ideas to reality; he may argue that the masked man instance lacks the quality of having a clear and distinct idea

Question 8

Outline the criticism that what is logically possible tells us nothing about reality? (Conceivability)

Answer 8

• Descartes has only shown that substance dualism is a metaphysical possibility (i.e. there are possible worlds where SD is true)
• He has not shown that physicalism is metaphysically impossible; it’s also conceivable for mind and body to be one substance
• Empirical evidence needed: a priori has not been informative

Question 9

Outline the criticism that the mental is divisible in some sense (indivisibility)

Answer 9

• The mind may be spatially divisible: when the hemispheres of the brain are severed, 2 distinct centres of consciousness are made without the awareness of the individual

Question 10

Outline the criticism that not everything thought of as physical is divisible (indivisibility)

Answer 10

Its possible that physical substance is indivisible: you cannot divide beyond subatomic particles