Metaphysics of Mind & Idealism

Metaphysics of Mind & Idealism

Descartes is NOT an idealist, but instead an important thinker in the discourse of Idealism

Substances will often be the basis of many of their discussions. How many basic substances exist?

These thinkers attempt to explain the special substance (the Mind). How does it either reflect reality, create reality or obscure reality?

These thinkers are NOT necessarily idealists, though you will see some commonalities

Rene Descartes(1596-1650ce): The Dualist (plus one)

Rene Descartes(1596-1650ce): The Dualist (plus one)

Technically was a Pluralist because he believed in 3 basic substances: Mind, Body, God

The problem was discovering how the Mind-Body interact. Do they infiltrate each other? Does the Mind’s substance take up space?

How does God interact with these substances? Two perceived solutions: (1) mind and body were not

separate substances but instead part of the same substance (2) they were separate substances but they did not interact.

Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677ce): “There can be only ONE!”

Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677ce): “There can be only ONE!”

See pages 126-127 for his proofs and definitions (good luck) Spinoza was a Monist because he believed reality had only

one substance: mind and body were different attributes of that one substance

Monism solved the issue of mind/body interacting as well as how God could interact with the world led to theory of Pantheism (we discussed in the God unit).

We are all ONE attribute of the interconnected fabric of existence.

Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716): Monads! And they Don’t Interact!

Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716): Monads! And they Don’t Interact!

Agreed with Descartes that there was a Plurality of substances (Pluralist). However, he also agreed with Spinoza that substances could not interact.

The most basic substance for Leibniz were Monads (minds). These create the appearances of a physical reality, but it is like a hologram.

In a sense, we’re all living with the pre-established physical reality produced by God. We do not truly see or interact with anyone; our Mind is simply told that we do (by the supermonad)

Metaphysics: Idealism Metaphysics: Idealism “Idealism is not taken ligthly or to sound far-

fetched. They are based on careful consideration and a large number of sound & hard-hitting arguments.”

Idealism is often attributed to Plato due to his theory of the World of Being

Idealism is the belief that what is most real is the mind; all else are ideas in the mind. All else depends on the mind in some sense for existence.

George Berkeley (1685-1753) THE Subjective IdealistGeorge Berkeley (1685-1753) THE Subjective Idealist

Held the radical view that nothing exists outside of experience (perception/ideas). A stone exists because we have an idea of a stone (we can experience it)

We know our mind exists because ideas presuppose minds. We know God exists because our finite minds require His infinite mind

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) : THE German Idealist

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) : THE German Idealist

Kant believed in two rational worlds: The World of Nature (objects, cause and effect, science) & The World of Action/Belief (morality, God, duty, Freedom of choice)

Both were equally rational. WE set up the world with our ideas and our categories. There is no TIME or SPACE or OBJECT apart from our experience of them.

However, our minds are set up with a universal principles that ensure that space must be a certain way for us.

This speaks to the formatting of our mind; The world MUST be a certain way, but that is due to our minds and not some objective reality about the material world.

Kant’s Two-World View: Knowledge and Action & Belief

Kant’s Two-World View: Knowledge and Action & Belief

For Kant, we operate in two worlds (sometimes simultaneously; sometimes separately):

When involved with the World of Knowledge, we perceive the world through our concepts of understanding constituted by specific rules

When involved with the World of Practical Matters, a different set of rules apply

See pg 134, 2nd paragraph for examples

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860):

The Pessimist's Idealist

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860):

The Pessimist's Idealist Most know Schopenhauer as a misanthrope. He heaped scorn on

his enemies and would commonly annoy his contemporaries with his wit and arrogance.

His philosophy takes the standpoint of a pessimist

(life is not good and has no purpose) He accepted Kant’s Idealism; however, he disagreed that the two

worlds were rational. The Solution is to seek aesthetic detachment and escape the Will or engage in ascetic renunciation. What does this mean?

For Schopenhauer, both worlds were irrational Knowledge = Illusion & Action/belief are driven by Will Will = Irrational; Will doesn’t belong to us but overtakes us

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1832):

#GotSpirit?

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1832):

#GotSpirit?

Hegel also took up Kantian Idealism. However, instead of two static worlds, Hegel saw a single overarching cosmos

Reality was an all-embracing Spirit in constant development; the world has a Cosmic Consciousness (see Gaia Theory)

All of our attempts to know the Cosmos are merely ways in which the Universal Spirit examines itself. Carl Sagan references this often

See pg 136 for the argument

Questions of Teleology:Does the Universe have

a Purpose?

Questions of Teleology:Does the Universe have

a Purpose? Teleology: From the Greek telos ‘purpose’ Many people think of the universe as a Giant

Machine that operates based on the laws of nature. However, many philosophers who support the

mechanistic view of the universe still argue that God gave the universe a purpose.

Others argue that the universe is simply ‘Matter in Motion’ and there is no higher purpose

Homework AssignmentHomework Assignment

Answer all 3 closing question to the best of your ability.

Answer ALL parts of Questions 3