what is mind2

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Grand Canyon University *

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103

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Philosophy

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Jan 9, 2024

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Luis A. Galindo College of Theology, Grand Canyon University C103: Introduction to Philosophy Lanell M Mason November 1, 2023 1

In this discussion the writer of this paper will be speaking on the topic of the mind and body issue as well as discussing five philosophical solutions to the mind-body problem, along with defending and supporting the philosophical position of substance dualism. There are various ways of getting at the topic of mind-body. The mind-body problem is an issue that deals with the relationship between the human mind and its connection with body and is separated in three philosophical commitments: the body is physical, the mind is mental, and physical effects always have physical causes (Mason 2023). This idea has been argued with back and forth for many years as there are two questions that get brought up in every argument; through this concept philosophers will either look at this idea and go in thinking that the minds mental and physical states are either connected as one or are sperate items and do not have any relationship with one another. There are 5 philosophical solutions that will be discussed. The first one being Reductive Physicalism, also known as materialism or physicalism, asserts that mental states can be fully explained and reduced to physical states and processes, or as (Mason 2023) described it, “we are just our brain”. It holds that everything about the mind can ultimately be understood in terms of physical properties and laws governing the brain, without any irreducible mental entities. Non-reductive Physicalism also known as property dualism, argues that mental states are not reducible to physical states but emerge from them, meaning the mind is not physical, but it depends on the physical brain for existence (Mason 2023). It acknowledges that mental properties have their own distinct characteristics and cannot be fully explained by physical properties alone. Therefore, mental properties are irreducible but dependent on physical processes. Panpsychism proposes that consciousness or mind is a fundamental property of the 2

universe and exists in all things. It suggests that consciousness is not solely a product of complex biological systems but that anything and everything has consciousness. According to panpsychism, all entities, from subatomic particles to entire organisms, possess some form of consciousness. Substance Dualism posits that the mind and body are two distinct substances. It suggests that the mind or consciousness is a non-physical entity that exists independently of the physical body. Substance dualism asserts that mental and physical properties are fundamentally different and cannot be reduced to each other. The last solution is Idealism which holds that reality is fundamentally mental or experiential in nature. It presumes that the physical world is dependent on or derived from someone’s consciousness. According to idealism, all objects and phenomena are ultimately manifestations of minds or conscious experiences. In all everything exists in someone’s mind, and there is no physical reality (Mason, 2023). Philosophers have debated these ideas for centuries, and the mind-body problem remains an ongoing philosophical inquiry. The mind-body issue can best be addressed through Substance Dualism. This philosophical position says that the physical body and the mind/soul are separate and distinct entities that work together, with the non-physical mind/soul able to influence the physical body. This is in contrast to property non-Reductive Dualism, which holds that the mind and body are separate, but do not interact with each other. Substance dualism suggests that while the mind and body are individual and distinct, they work together to create a fully functioning human being. However, the concept of Qualia or Subjectivity poses a challenge to the idea of substance dualism. Qualia is the subjective or qualitative properties of experiences (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, n.d.), or in other words Qualia suggests that every individual has unique subjective experiences that cannot be fully understood or explained by studying their brain or 3

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