soul, mind and body (2)

Question 1

plato’s view on the soul

Answer 1

dualist. argues that the impermenance of the body must mean there is something permanent. believed soul was perfect and accessed the realm of the forms.

Question 2

Plato’s analogy of the chariot

Answer 2

reason is the charioteer who controls wayward horses of spirit (emotions and appetite). we are often taken over by bodily desires, no harmony in the soul.

Question 3

argument from recollection

Answer 3

says the soul previously witnessed the forms before incarnated into our body. our soul recalls what it knows the immutable forms, so when we se a pretty flower recognise it from form of beauty.

Question 4

anamensis

Answer 4

recollection of innate knowledge which we havent gained through experiences.

Question 5

Socrates

Answer 5

example of the slave boy. although he was uneducated he oculd answer maths questions. Plato would say this knowledge is recollected from the soul.

Question 6

Plato is right there is a seperate soul

Answer 6

• chariteers efficently highlights emotional conflict, when reason is in control there is harmony
• anamensis makes sense, we understand what is unfair innately

Question 7

argument from opposites

Answer 7

recognise there are opposites, light and dark etc. since life is something, death must be something too.

Question 8

Plato is right there is no seperate soul

Answer 8

• inner conflict can be explained by emotion of immaturity
• Geach asks how a disembodies soul could ever see the forms
• example of the slave boy, it is possible to learn and grow through failings,

Question 9

aristotle’s wax

Answer 9

thinks the soul cannot be seperated from the body, example of wax seal. the imprint of the seal cannot be seperated from the wax.

Question 10

Aristotle observations

Answer 10

everything was made of matter and had a formal cause. body is material and the soul formal.

Question 11

chickens

Answer 11

a dead chicken and a living has the same material cause but its formal has changed. Aristotle says this is the change, the soul animates the body.

Question 12

types of soul

Answer 12

vegetative- characteristics of growing
appetitive- ability to act o desires for food
rational- ability to reason

Question 13

Aristotle’s view of the soul is successful

Answer 13

• soul is essential as it is the formal cause of the body (handle of axe the body, soul ability to chop)
• body and soul cannot be seperated as they are both neccesary for life
• when the body dies so does the soul, explains the difference despite lack of bodily change

Question 14

Aristotle’s view of the soul is unsuccessful

Answer 14

• materialists would argue that we are only matter
• Plato would say soul must return to the realm of the forms after death

Question 15

consiousness

Answer 15

intellect and awarness of who we are, the mind body problem is about how they relate.

Question 16

Descartes’ substance dualism

Answer 16

argued mind/body totally seperate substances. he questioned how we could be sure about anything as we could just be being deceived. but he concluded we can be sure we are still thinking. cogito ergo sum.

Question 17

Descartes and physical

Answer 17

it cannot think and can be divided into parts, but doesnt take away from who you are. must be a different sort of substance. if mind/body seperate there must be a link, the pineal gland- argued it was the home of singular thought.

Question 18

mind and body must be separate

Answer 18

• mind and body are different as they can be treated differently, mind is immaterial.
• as a thinking being i consider muself whole, the mind must hold our personhood
• pineal gland explains the communciation

Question 19

mind and body cannot be different

Answer 19

• if someone loses a limb their outlook on life owuld be changed. mind and body close connection
• how do we define personhood? would we know our classmate in 30 years time due to mind
• pineal gland secretes hormones, unlikely to communicate,

Question 20

Ryle

Answer 20

ghost in the machine- how can a ghostly phenomenon pull levers in a machine

Question 21

Daniel Dennett

Answer 21

says substance dualists define the mind as a Cartesian theatre. the mind is an audience of 1 at the theatre, you can observe and control what happens. Dennett says this is incorrect.

Question 22

Ryle’s criticisms

Answer 22

says Descartes incorrectly sees the physical actions as controlled by non material mind. incorrect use of language, like visiting Oxford colleges and asking where the uni is.

Question 23

category error

Answer 23

a misuse of lang- Ryle says people incorrectly assume there is something extra to everything theyve seen. says Descartes made a category error as he tried to categorise events as mental or physical.

Question 24

Descartes’ error

Answer 24

assumes there is something additonal to the body. Ryle argues the body and mind are not 2 substances but different descriptions of personhood and what it means to be human. you wouldnt say ‘my hand’, you would say ‘I’

Question 25

its a category error for mind/body to be different

Answer 25

- personhood involves more processes than just physical and mental - it would be asking where the team spirit is while watching cricket? body and mind cannot be described the same way - body and mind are not distinct as both describes what it means to be human

Question 26

its not a category error for mind/body to be different

Answer 26

- thinking minf is an immaterial substance which is the real me, mind directs body. - physical and body are totally different types of substance

Question 27

argument from doubt

Answer 27

Descartes doubted everything but knew he was still thinking. shows mind/body must be different.

Question 28

mind can be exmplained by physical

Answer 28

Dennet argues there is no place in the mind where consiousness can happen, more likely processes.

Question 29

identity theory

Answer 29

claims that all mental activity is centered in the brain. brain is an organ that can altered by things like drugs. these can cause alter mind which may be described as consious. materialists think decisions are merely brain activity.

Question 30

Dawkins' souls

Answer 30

soul one= ancient idea used by ancient people to explain why humans were rational soul two= intellect or mental activities. Dawkins thinks this will be explained by DNA soon. Dawkins said mental processes gives us the advantage to survive.

Question 31

Blackmore

Answer 31

believes soul is a metaphor for consiousness and personhood. we look for something that does not exist. Blackmore belives we suggest scientists will one day understand consiousness.

Question 32

strengths of materialism

Answer 32

- magnetic sensors can detect when subject's attention moves to different images. - no need for questions about the afterlife - materialism uses science. NASA has used sensors placed on the throat can detect words spoken silently to oneself.

Question 33

weaknesses of materialism

Answer 33

- even if thought and other activities can be tracked by physical changes. nerve functions in brains have no intentions. - reduces all experience down to something physical.

Question 34

materialism is the best approach

Answer 34

- no need to assume the existence of an immaterial soul, brain scans and NASA can trace back consious - consious may not be one thing, rather a combination - immaterial mind would not able to be verified, how would we know - if there is something extra in essence that is not physical.

Question 35

dualism is the best approach

Answer 35

- physical terms cannot describe everything about the individual, there seems to be more to 'me' - Decartes argues that the mind is a place of singular thought - Plato argues that a harmonious soul explains how we recall knowledge - Aristotle believes the soul animates and personifies existence.