property dualism

pd on substance

substance in an entity, a thing, that does not depend on another entity for its continued existence

it has ‘ontological independence’

substances are what posses properties and persist through changes in properties

property dualism

there is just one sort of substance, physical substance

but at least some mental properties are a fundamentally new kind of property that are not fixed by physical properties

(phenomenal consciousness, qualia)

pd on physical properties

some properties of consciousness are not ontologically dependent on physical properties

natural laws correlate the mental with physical, but it is metaphysically possible for these correlations to be different

chalmers on consciousness

not the same thing as the mind

can be unconscious mental states

subjective quality of experience, what it is like

distinguished from the ability to report on feelings and control

two concepts of mind

phenomenal: subjective quality of experience, first person

psychological: what the mind does, how we explain behaviour, third person

phenomenal cannot be reduced to psychological

easy problem of consciousness

how could a physical system have psychological properties?

no threat to physicalism

hard problem

how could a physical system have phenomenal properties?

a physical explanation can only explain physical structure (constitution) and function, but not explain phenomenal consciousness

so, property dualism

Obj. mental causation

do mental properties have causal powers? (eg thoughts causing bodily movements)

Obj. science

if mental properties cause physical effects, this is incompatible with science esp. neuroscience