The Mind-Body Problem The Mind-Body Problem Since
Description: The Mind-Body Problem The Mind-Body Problem Since thought is non-physical, is thought possible without physical matter? What is that we call mind? Is it the brain? What exactly are thoughts? How are thoughts able to cause you to act? How
Related Topics
Download Presentation
"The Mind-Body Problem The Mind-Body Problem Since" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this website for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Presentation Transcript
slide1. The Mind-Body Problem The Mind-Body Problem<br>
slide2. Since thought is non-physical, is thought possible without physical matter? What is that we call “mind”? Is it the brain? What exactly are thoughts? How are thoughts able to cause you to act? How can a thought, which is non-physical, move the physical? How can the brain—3-lb oatmeal-like organ think?<br>
slide3. These and other questions are what we know as the mind-body problem.
Why a problem? Because humans have not yet been able to understand
The existence of consciousness/mental life are mysterious.<br>
slide4. The Mind-Body Problem<br>
slide6. 1. Consciousness<br>
slide7. 2. Intentionality<br>
slide9. 3. Subjectivity<br>
slide10. 4. Causation<br>
slide12. Dualism vs. Materialism<br>
slide14. Dualist Theories<br>
slide15. Substance Dualism
Each mind is a distinct nonphysical thing, independent of any physical body.
The brain is a physical substance
The mind is a non-physical substance<br>
slide16. Property Dualism There aren't two kinds of substances, the mind and the brain, but two kinds of properties—physical and non-physical properties.
Two kinds of property dualism:
(1) epiphenomenalism and (2) interactionism
Mental properties are emergent properties.
Mental states are irreducible: they are “beyond prediction or explanation by physical science”.<br>
slide17. 1. Epiphenomenalism: Mental phenomena “ride on top of” brain processes, but don’t ever affect the brain.
Mental states have no causal powers. This is unbelievable.
2. Interactionism: Mental properties, mental states, are nonphysical but interact with the brain.
But how do they interact?<br>
slide18. What motivates Dualism?
Arguments for dualism:<br>
slide23. Arguments Against Dualism<br>
slide24. The argument from simplicity
Simpler theories are better than complex theories.
Materialism is a simpler theory than dualism.
Dualism is false.<br>
slide28. Four Materialist Theories: 1. Behaviorism 2. Identity Theory 3. Functionalism 4. Eliminative Materialism<br>
slide29. Behaviorism There is no mind-body problem because claims about people’s mental states are just claims about people’s dispositions to behave in certain ways.
Mental state (beliefs, desires, hopes, etc.) are descriptions of behaviors that do not correspond to mind.<br>
slide32. Eliminative Materialism
Advances in neuroscience reveal to us that theory about the mind is a bad theory.
Historical examples of a theory being eliminated:
Heat was thought to be a fluid, a substance, called “caloric,” but we now know that heat is the motion of molecules.
Burning and rusting was thought to be a matter of a thing called “phlogiston” leaving the object that was burning or rusting.
People thought there were witches, when in fact there was just psychosis.
So: The concepts psychology – belief, desire, fear, sensation, pain, joy, and so on – in time will be eliminated.<br>
slide33. The End Questions?<br>
slide2. Since thought is non-physical, is thought possible without physical matter? What is that we call “mind”? Is it the brain? What exactly are thoughts? How are thoughts able to cause you to act? How can a thought, which is non-physical, move the physical? How can the brain—3-lb oatmeal-like organ think?<br>
slide3. These and other questions are what we know as the mind-body problem.
Why a problem? Because humans have not yet been able to understand
The existence of consciousness/mental life are mysterious.<br>
slide4. The Mind-Body Problem<br>
slide6. 1. Consciousness<br>
slide7. 2. Intentionality<br>
slide9. 3. Subjectivity<br>
slide10. 4. Causation<br>
slide12. Dualism vs. Materialism<br>
slide14. Dualist Theories<br>
slide15. Substance Dualism
Each mind is a distinct nonphysical thing, independent of any physical body.
The brain is a physical substance
The mind is a non-physical substance<br>
slide16. Property Dualism There aren't two kinds of substances, the mind and the brain, but two kinds of properties—physical and non-physical properties.
Two kinds of property dualism:
(1) epiphenomenalism and (2) interactionism
Mental properties are emergent properties.
Mental states are irreducible: they are “beyond prediction or explanation by physical science”.<br>
slide17. 1. Epiphenomenalism: Mental phenomena “ride on top of” brain processes, but don’t ever affect the brain.
Mental states have no causal powers. This is unbelievable.
2. Interactionism: Mental properties, mental states, are nonphysical but interact with the brain.
But how do they interact?<br>
slide18. What motivates Dualism?
Arguments for dualism:<br>
slide23. Arguments Against Dualism<br>
slide24. The argument from simplicity
Simpler theories are better than complex theories.
Materialism is a simpler theory than dualism.
Dualism is false.<br>
slide28. Four Materialist Theories: 1. Behaviorism 2. Identity Theory 3. Functionalism 4. Eliminative Materialism<br>
slide29. Behaviorism There is no mind-body problem because claims about people’s mental states are just claims about people’s dispositions to behave in certain ways.
Mental state (beliefs, desires, hopes, etc.) are descriptions of behaviors that do not correspond to mind.<br>
slide32. Eliminative Materialism
Advances in neuroscience reveal to us that theory about the mind is a bad theory.
Historical examples of a theory being eliminated:
Heat was thought to be a fluid, a substance, called “caloric,” but we now know that heat is the motion of molecules.
Burning and rusting was thought to be a matter of a thing called “phlogiston” leaving the object that was burning or rusting.
People thought there were witches, when in fact there was just psychosis.
So: The concepts psychology – belief, desire, fear, sensation, pain, joy, and so on – in time will be eliminated.<br>
slide33. The End Questions?<br>