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