The Mind Body Problem
Our minds seem to be non-physical and different from our bodies. Our bodies seem to be
something different from our minds. Are they actually different? What is a mind? What is a
body? How do they relate?
Substance Dualism
Our bodies and minds are separate things Substance – a “thing” which exists
independently from other things (e.g. a horse, a cat, a human). It has properties, but is not a property of another thing
Property – a quality that a substance has (e.g. red, round, cold)
Argument for Substance Dualism
The Conceivability argument (Descartes):
P1: I can doubt that my body exists (from Meditation 1)
P2: I cannot doubt that my mind exists (from Meditation 2)
P3: Leibniz's Law: A = B if and only if A & B have ALL and ONLY the same properties
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C: So, my mind is not my body
Analogy to the Conceivability Argument
P1: I can doubt that I’m drinking H20
P2: I cannot doubt that I’m drinking water
P3: Leibniz Law
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C: So, Water is not H20
Descartes’ Divisibility Argument
P1: My body is divisible
P2: My mind is not divisible
P3: Leibniz Law:
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C: So, my mind is not my body
The NDE argument
P1: If substance dualism is false, then my mind cannot exist independently from my body
*P2: My mind can exists independently from my body
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C: So, Substance dualism is true *Support for P2 claims that NDEs are best explained as real afterlife
experiences
Princess Elizabeth’s Objection to Descartes
How can a totally non-physical mind cause things to happen to a totally physical body? How can a totally physical body cause things to happen to a totally non-physical mind?
Physicalism
The mind is the brain itself and nothing more. In other words, mind = brain
Two kinds: a) Identity theory, b) Functionalism
Argument for Physicalism
Neuroscience has shown a strong link between what happens to and in our brains and what
happens to and in our minds
The Case of Phineas Gage
Inverted Spectrum Case
Against Physicalism
A complete physical description of our brains and bodies, even in every detail, still seems to leave out something. What is left out is our personal/subjective experience, the “what it's like for us.”
Property Dualism vs. Substance Dualism
Substance Dualism:
1.Mind is not Body
2.Mind can exist apart from body; in other words, mind & body are independent substances
Property Dualism:
1.Mental states are not physical states
2.Mind cannot exist apart from body; in other words mind & body are two aspects of ONE AND SAME substance