Examples Of Argument Against Substance Dualism

Words: 1032

Pages: 5

Open Document

My goal in what follows is to prove that substance dualism is not true. Substance dualism is an enduring theory within the philosophy of mind according to which there exists two sorts of substances: the physical, or bodies, and the mental, or minds. It states that the mental and the physical are separate substances with independent existence. Physical things are extended in space and do not possess any thought. Mental things have thought as their very essence, but do not have any extension in the physical world. I will argue that substance dualism is not true because it cannot explain mental-physical interaction. I will argue for the problem of interaction against substance dualism. The problem of interaction concerns whether it is possible for persons, who are considered to be nonphysical entities by substance dualism, to interact casually with bodies, which are physical entities.

The argument for the problem of …show more content…
Now this stand taken by substance dualist creates a problem with the physical basis of causation. Causality is the relationship between cause and effect. Consider this example, this morning I decided to write a paper on Substance Dualism: I put together the intention of writing the paper and then followed it up and executed it with bodily movements called “typing”. The stand taken by substance dualist creates a problem when the mind is thought to be causing changes in physical entities. The basic theory of causality suggests that for the entity causing changes to a physical object, it must possess two properties: (i) a spatial location and (ii) the ability to transfer energy. This is so because, in the process of physical changes, energy is being transferred from one location to the

Dualism Vs. Functionalism: The Mind-Body Problem

the physical states of the human body. Substance dualism and functionalism are just two out of the many theories that exist in hopes of answering this question. In this essay, I will discuss the details of both substance dualism and functionalism, and their arguments as answers for the mind-body problem. I will also look at arguments against each one and determine if they are good arguments or not. Then, I will conclude with why I believe substance dualism is a better answer for the mind-body problem…

Words 1059 - Pages 5

Essay on Can Substance Dualism Be Defended

Can Substance Dualism Be Defended? Substance dualism is a never ending argument in the Philosophy world as it’s been going on for decades. It is the view that the universe contains two important types of entity which is mental and material. The structure of this paper is that four main argument leads to one conclusion. Firstly, I’ll argue about Descartes’s ‘separability argument’ which stands as the definition of Substance Dualism. Secondly, I’ll argue that mental and physical have different…

Words 1917 - Pages 8

Essay about Dualism: are the mind and body really insync or are they completely different entities?

Nemanja Visnjic 10/29/2014 Philosophy Dualism: are the mind and body really insync or are they completely different entities? In a world in which the way we think and perceive is always being questioned, there have been a numerous amount of theories that ultimately try to explain the world around us. Some of these theories such as the idealism theory, the theory of a parallel universe or the identity theory that try to explain why things are the way that they are. One of the most well known…

Words 831 - Pages 4

Spike Jonze's Her: Interaction Between Mind And Body

emotional needs. In this paper I will be analyzing Spike Jonze’s movie Her (2013) and how it dramatizes Cartesian dualism. I will also discuss if the movie seems to make Cartesian Parker Dunbar 11/13/14 Phil 1000 Deborah Goldgaber The Soul and Body as One When attempting to ask and answer major philosophical questions, one of the major topics of discussion that comes up is the argument of the mind and body. How do you describe each?…

Words 939 - Pages 4

Cartesian's Foundation On Metaphysics And Epistemological Thinking

Cartesian method bases its foundation on metaphysics and epistemological thinking. Their idea of knowledge was derived through reasons of innate ideas. This goes against the traditional beliefs of empiricism (all concepts originate with experience) that was established by Aristotle. Cartesians created probabilistic scientific concepts by observing and experimenting. However, they did not rely on the uncertainty in science since their beliefs of God were powerful. Their religious beliefs were that…

Words 1368 - Pages 6

Ryle's Initial Argument Against Cartesian Dualism

I. Part one: Ryle's initial argument against Cartesian dualism is based on an epistemological viewpoint, meaning that this view has to do with the existence and understanding of knowledge. He claims that if we were to believe the Cartesian explanation of dualism, which claims that the mind and the body are completely separate things, we would have no way of understanding what others are feeling or thinking. Seeing as, with this explanation, it would be impossible to understand another human’s behaviors…

Words 1938 - Pages 8

The Problem of Evil Essay examples

solution for this. The problem of evil is not a correct argument. The arguments from evil state that if there is a God who is omniscient, omnipotent and perfectly good, then there would be no evil or suffering in the world. Evil does exist, therefore, god does not exist. If God existed, he would not allow evil into the world…

Words 1287 - Pages 6

Meditation on First Philosophy Essay

Descartes attributed the highest form of reality to infinite substances such as God. The second highest form of reality was associated to finite substances such as the Body and the Mind. The third highest form of reality was conferred upon to essential properties such as the very process of thinking about something. Lastly, the lowest form of reality was attributed…

Words 2560 - Pages 11

Mere Christianity Lay Theologian Analysis

Atheists believe that God the father ceases to exist. The argument says that God and evil are not compatible. However, since there is evil in the world then God cannot exist as well. Lewis believes that the idea of atheism is too simple to be true he explains the reasoning why he believes that God allows evil things to take place. Similarly to the argument we discussed in class regarding why Jesus still had to die, it is assumed that because send it exist…

Words 1571 - Pages 7

Essay Solutions: Truth and Answer Selected Answer

The first task in analyzing an argument is to ask, “Do these premises support this conclusion?” Answer Selected Answer: False Question 13 3.33 out of 3.33 points Until recently, Analytic philosophers have held that philosophers should first and foremost clarify meaning rather than seek new truths about reality. Answer Selected Answer: True Question 14 0 out of 3.33 points In a valid Deductive argument, Answer Selected Answer:…

Words 3545 - Pages 15