Soul, Mind and Body

Question 1

What is the body/soul distinction?

Answer 1

the idea of personal identity

Question 2

what is dualism?

Answer 2

the division of body and soul

Question 3

what is anemnsis?

Answer 3

Aristotles word for recollection

Question 4

What is substance dualism?

Answer 4

the belief that the body and soul are wholly different substances

Question 5

what is monism?

Answer 5

they are one element not two

Question 6

what is materialism?

Answer 6

humans/physical beings- a part of monism

Question 7

what is Hick’s “replica theory”?

Answer 7

thought experiment to suggest that post more-tom existence is a possibility

Question 8

what is Hick’s theistic monism?

Answer 8

the body and soul are one

Question 9

what is Dawkins’ “soul one”?

Answer 9

separate substances of much traditional thought

Question 10

what is Dawkins’ “soul 2”?

Answer 10

intellectual and spiritual power, higher development of mental faculties

Question 11

what is identity theory?

Answer 11

all mental activities are centred in the brain-monism

Question 12

what is meta-physical?

Answer 12

beyond physical

Question 13

what is reduction?

Answer 13

breaking down a person into parts

Question 14

what is idealism?

Answer 14

we have one single nature which is entirely meta physical- the physical world, including our bodies, is an illusion-monism

Question 15

what is epiphenomalism?

Answer 15

bodily events can cause mental events but mental events cannot cause physical events-monism

Question 16

what is functionalism?

Answer 16

all mental states have a casual role

Question 17

what did Plato believe about the body and soul?

Answer 17

• he was a dualist
• he believes the soul must exist in the realm of the spiritual
• the soul will move to another body after that body dies

Question 18

give and example of dualism

Answer 18

Socrates death-drinking hemlock

Question 19

give 3 strengths of platos dualism

Answer 19

• links to the theory of the forms
• agrees with christian views of afterlife
• it is logical

Question 20

give 3 weaknesses of plato’s dualism

Answer 20

• the soul is understood through senses
• learning is acquiring new knowledge
• relies on theory of the forms which also has many weaknesses

Question 21

what is the example for Dawkins ideas of the soul?

Answer 21

The chariot and the charioteer

Question 22

what did Descartes say?

Answer 22

“i think therefore i am”

Question 23

what does Descartes believe?

Answer 23

he is an extreme dualist and a rationalist

Question 24

what does descartes believe?

Answer 24

he believes there is no connection between the body and the soul, he believes his body and the material may be an illusion

Question 25

give 3 weaknesses of Descartes views

Answer 25

• you cant prove that the area of the brain the soul is in exists
• you cant prove the mind is spiritual
• you cant see the soul so you cant scientifically say it exists

Question 26

give 2 strengths of Descartes

Answer 26

• it is logical

- there is no evidence for the material world therefore it may be an illusion

Question 27

what does Ryle believe?

Answer 27

he believes the mind doesn’t tell your body what to do as you have physical processes for that

Question 28

who criticises Descartes

Answer 28

Gilbert Ryle

Question 29

what does Ryle accuse Descartes of?

Answer 29

category error-assuming that 2 terms are of the same logical type

Question 30

give 2 strengths of Ryle

Answer 30

• category error is logical

- it is more realistic

Question 31

give 3 weaknesses of Ryles views

Answer 31

• in some ways it is anti-christian
• you cant prove there are both mental and physical processes
• you cant prove that the mind doesn’t tell your body what to do but physical processes do

Question 32

give an example of a soft materialist and say what they believe

Answer 32

John Hick-he believes the soul and the body are one (theistic monism)

Question 33

what does John Hick say?

Answer 33

“my soul is not me”

Question 34

3 criticisms of John Hick’s the replica theory

Answer 34

• problems of continuity
• cannot be an exact replica of the original person
• would the replica age or exhibit the same injuries that killed the person?

Question 35

implications of materialism

Answer 35

• intentionality
• moral responsibility
• nature of the universe
• theory of everything