In “Mental Causation,” Karen Bennett discusses the overdetermination argument associated with the exclusion problem. Even if one assumes that causal power can be attributed to the mental, it is unclear that mental causation contributes anything meaningful to the explanation of an effect and does not merely overdetermine it, since the effect could be given a purely physical explanation (Kim 325). Some philosophers have bitten the bullet and claimed that mental causation is, in fact, comparable to the classic overdetermination example of a firing squad shooting a victim. Just as the death of the victim was overdetermined given the multiple bullets (each being a sufficient cause), bodily motions are determined to occur by a physical and a mental…
For example, the mind provides functions such as thinking, doubting, hating, or desiring. In contrast, the body or brain are mere physical extensions, and simply represent how a person is shaped or the color of their skin. The body and brain do not provide contributions to the mental functioning of a being, and simply provide a physical platform under which the mental, and its own capacities of thought and contemplation, may be housed. As an extension, all things in the universe may be qualified as a body, a physical entity, or a mind, a thinking entity. Additionally, a mind does not need a body to provide it shelter, and regardless of ever having a body, a mind will exist for eternity because it lacks the characteristics of a physical entity, which cause it to degenerate. In conclusion, Substance Dualists perceive the mind and body as separate and distinct substances due to their unique abilities and…
To achieve this, this chapter will have 3 sections; the first section will be devoted to explaining the mechanisms of how phenomenal content determines intentional content base on the adverbalist view . This view accommodates intentionality in terms of the non-relational intrinsic properties of experience; hence in the framework of the “phenomenal intentionality” program. This will pave the way for the conclusion that “the phenomenal character of intentionality” is the only source of intentionality, this is, original intentionality. This argument will be contrasted in the second section with Kriegel’s views of intentionality. Kriegel praises a ‘tracking account’, a theory of ‘experiential intentionality’, as the only way to naturalize intentionality (Kriegel, 2011, p. 6). This section will establish that this view is a non-starter: and here I will debate that there is no such thing as non-experiential intentionality or derived intentionality in the terms proposed by Kriegel. The third section will set up all objections and replies to the views defended, and conclude with a discussion about whether the phenomenal character of intentionality can be naturalized. This debate will at the same time provide an introduction to the discussion of the next chapter, about how the hard problem of consciousness can be explored from the base of intentionality view developed in this…
Humans seem to be an entity made up by a combination of both physical properties and mental properties. Folk psychology of soul proposed by Bering (2006) suggested “common-sense mind-body dualism” is a cognitive adaptation that evolved through natural selection. According to this quote, it is believed that individual is fundamentally constituted of body, mind and volition. For centuries, people have tried to discover what makes an individual from philosophical, psychological and physiological perspectives. At different stages of this knowledge in understanding human beings, behaviourism, humanism and the study of consciousness will be critically evaluated in this discussion.…
The views of the Australian materialists on the identification of the mind and the body, simply stated, are that states and processes of the mind are identical to states and processes of the brain. Henceforth these philosophers (for the purpose of this article I will be referring in particular to Smart and Armstrong’s views on the matter) assume the position that all processes of the mind and experiences are due to physical reactions occurring in the brain and that these physical processes can account for the mental states that one may encounter. Smart’s takes a Materialist stance regarding the identification of the mind and body, and a more scientific one at that, believing that everything…
In this essay I will discuss Frank Jackson’s knowledge argument against physicalism. I will first of all outline what physicalism means and my understanding of it, followed by the different approaches to the mind-body problem such as dualism and monism. I will then look at arguments for and against Jackson’s theory before drawing to a conclusion. I will be discussing the theories outlined in Jackson’s paper Epiphenomenal Qualia and Thomas Nagel’s What it is it like to be a bat?, followed by a discussion on the ‘Philosophical Zombie’.…
The ________________ are located at the top of the brain and contain the somatosensory cortex, which receives information about pressure, pain, touch, and temperature from all over the body.…
The Synopsis: Star Trek Episode “The Measure of a Man” deals with the thought that android could have physical and mental properties. In order to fully understand or evaluate this we have to have a clear understanding of the Mind/Body Problems and solutions. Humans are material objects consisting of physical and mental properties. Physical properties examples are height, weight, color, shape or size and mental properties are awareness, consciousness, feeling, thinking, emotions and senses. The problem arises because these properties interact where intentional or unintentional continuously. Hasker discusses several mind/body solutions such as idealism, materialism, behaviorism, dualism, and emergentism.…
Many theories have been challenged throughout the history of psychology. Mind vs. Body is one of the most important issues that has formed the basic foundation in this field today. One of the central questions in psychology and philosophy concerns the mind-body problem: Is the mind part of the body, or the body part of the mind? If they are distinct, then how do they interact? And which of the two is in charge? (McLeod, 2007). Philosophers have examined the relationship between the two and have proposed a variety of approaches to support their arguments.…
It is a claim that the world is physical, and as such, there is no spiritual, mental separation of the human mind and brain (Smart, 2012, p.1). Since there is no difference between the two, the human mind and brain are the same entity (Smart, 2012, p.1). For if “sensation X is identical to brain process Y then if Y is between my ears and is straight or circular … then the sensation X is between my ears and is straight or circular” (Smart, 2014, p.3). It is maintained, that the workings of the mind equals the workings of the brain (Smart, 2012, p.1). Human beings are only human, physical bodies. Therefor human being’s behaviours, judgements and responses are all an action of the brain, which could also be called the mind. Meaning the mind is explainable, according to laws of physics and chemistry (Calef, 2015,…
The mind and body communicate biologically in three ways. Those three ways are autonomic nervous system (ANS), endocrine system and the immune system.…
According to the Bible in Genesis, God informs Adam that, "dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.” This was to remind Adam that he came into existence from the earths dust. Furthermore, it is science today that informs us that planet earth was conceived also by the suns dust and that humans are made up of material that was created from star dust. We humans are also in the noble possession of a mind. We are capable of thinking, feeling, and we can also exercise free will as Eve when she ate the apple of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The relatively old mind-body problem is basically how our minds or soul is one with the body. For centuries It has been known that our minds and bodies are somewhat related to the brain. The ancient…
Philosophers have been debating for centuries the relationship between the mind and the body and whether they are separate entities, or if they are one. This is known as the mind/body problem. If the mind being our consciousness and the body being our brain is separate parts, do they relate to each other or work together? If they are one, do they depend on each other? The idea that the mind and body are one is called monism. The idea that the mind and body are separate is called dualism (Newall, 2005).…
Many of the ancient theories composed by early Greek philosophers were based on rationalism and empiricism. Empiricism refers to acquiring knowledge through experimental insight while on the other hand rationalism is acquiring of knowledge through ones practical understanding. Socrates work is studied in depths up to date, example being “Republic of Plato” whose author was Plato.…
As flower needs water and sun shine for blooming, as similar soul needs love of Almighty God?…