Dualism SEP

Introduction to Dualism in Philosophy of Mind

• Dualism: Concept of two fundamental kinds or categories; oppositional to monism (one kind) and pluralism (many kinds).

General Definition of Dualism

• Possesses various interpretations in history; particularly significant in theology where it contrasts Good/Evil, God/Devil.

• In the philosophy of mind, dualism posits that mental and physical substances (mind and body) are radically different.

• Materialist Monism is often seen as the default position; the focus begins with the physical world, then contemplates why the mind might be distinct.

Key Topics in Dualism

1. The Mind-Body Problem

   • The nature of the mind and its relationship to the body.

   • Components:

     • Ontological Question: Nature of mental vs. physical states.

     • Causal Question: Influence of physical on mental and vice versa.

     • Problems of consciousness, intentionality, self, and embodiment.

2. Varieties of Dualism

   • Ontology:

     • Predicate Dualism: Psychological predicates are essential and irreducible to physical terms.

     • Property Dualism: There exist two distinct kinds of properties; mental properties are not fully explained by physical properties.

     • Substance Dualism: Mind and body are different substances.

   • Interaction:

     • Interactionism: Mental and physical events influence one another.

     • Epiphenomenalism: Physical events cause mental events, but not vice versa.

     • Parallelism: Both realms exist but do not influence each other.

3. Arguments Supporting Dualism

   • Knowledge Argument Against Physicalism: Suggests that understanding mental experiences (qualia) is inaccessible through physical descriptions.

   • Arguments from Personal Identity: The uniqueness of personal identity reinforces the separation of mind and body.

   • Aristotelian Argument: Claims human thought's flexibility cannot be confined to physical substance.

4. Challenges to Dualism

   • Queerness of the Mental: Mental states exhibit properties (subjectivity, intentionality) that conflict with physicalism's claims.

   • Unity of the Mind: Questions arise on how diverse mental states are unified as a single consciousness, whether through substance or relational concepts.

Historical Context of Dualism

• Plato: Viewed intellect and forms as immaterial and eternal compared to physical bodies.

• Aristotle: Rejected Platonic forms, viewing the soul as the form of the body—integrating them rather than separating.

• Descartes: Advocated for substance dualism, distinguishing the essence of mind (thinking) from body (extended).

Varieties of Dualism

• Predicate Dualism: Non-reducible psychological predicates.

• Property Dualism: Mental properties exist independently.

• Substance Dualism: Mind as a distinctive, separate entity from the body.

• Interaction: Minds influencing bodies; counterarguments arise concerning how this could occur within physical laws.

Major Arguments For Dualism

• Knowledge Argument Against Physicalism: The thought experiment involving a scientist gaining new qualities in sensory experience.

• Modal Argument: Possibility that one’s mind exists without the body supports differing entities.

• Epiphenomenalism: Mental states as by-products of physical states, raising concerns on their evolutionary purpose.

Problems for Dualism

1. The Queerness of the Mental: How can non-physical minds exert causal powers?

2. Unity of the Mind:

   • Bundle Theories struggle to explain coherence between various mental states and perceptions.

   • For Substance Dualists: Interpretations necessary as to how immaterial things could unify experience.

Conclusion

• Dualism remains a complex and debated area in philosophy of mind, addressing fundamental questions about the nature of consciousness, identity, and the relationship between mental and physical states.