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The Mind Body Problem - Online Term Paper

The Mind Body Problem

In Philosophy, there is a conception of at least two substantial different kinds of things that exist in the world: mental and physical. This distinction of two separate categories brings forth the mind-body problem – do the physical body and mind exist as two separate entities, or do they exist as one? To illustrate the question further, it is necessary to illustrate the differing qualities of these entities; for this example, we will focus on the human brain and human beliefs.
The brain, as we know it, is a tangible organ that may be described in terms of color, shape, mass, and other physical characteristics. A person can attach electrodes to a human head and observe electrical ...

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is an interaction between beliefs and the brain – when you state, “I am thirsty,” the belief is derived from a physiological phenomenon – but this is only proof of correlation, not causation. Additionally, unlike the brain, we cannot determine what color a belief is, how much it weighs, or how it feels if held in our hands. It is a dominantly mental phenomenon, a part of the existence of consciousness. Hence, by the notion of sameness, they cannot be considered to be identical entities.
The idea of sameness claims that whatever is true of X is true of Y. For example, if you were to get a haircut, you are still fundamentally the same person you were when you walked in the salon with longer hair that you are when you walk out with shorter hair. When this notion of sameness is applied to beliefs and the brain, it becomes clear that they are indeed different. What is true of X (the brain) is not true of Y (beliefs). Beliefs are not grey, do not have mass, and cannot be seen or held ...

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The Mind Body Problem. (2011, March 12). Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Mind-Body-Problem/95932

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 3/12/2011 11:07:19 PM
Submitted By: nicoleapril
Category: Philosophy
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 1060
Pages: 4

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