The problem of interactionism

1. Background
• Rene Descartes
• A French Philosopher
• Considered as the father of rationalism
• Proposed the methodical doubt

2. Dualism
• The body and mind problem
• The crucial metaphysical distinction between the mental and the physical.
• Dualist views come in two main varieties:
• Interactionism
• Epiphenomenalism

3. properties
Mental Physical
Unextended-not special temporal Extended-spacial-temporal
Non-contigent, non physical-meaning
cannot be quantified, measured etc
Contigent, physical, quantifiable,
measurable etc.
Indivisibility/simple Divisibility
Thinking/Thought Non Thinking
immortal Mortal
private public

4. The Conceivability Argument
• The Cogito Ergo Sum-Rene Descartes
• The argument from twin Earth-Hillary Putnam

5. Cogito Ergo Sum
• I think therefore I am.
• I cannot conceive myself except as thinking, therefore I am a thing that thinks.
• The knowledge you have of your own states of mind is direct and unchallengeable.
• The self/mind has the mental property-thought
• I cannot conceive the destruction of my mind, but I can conceive the destruction of
my body.
• I can conceive the destruction of my body.

6. Interactionism
• mind and body involve separate substances but interact in both directions.
• Mental and material substances, although utterly distinct, causally interact.
• Your body responds to your plans and decisions.
• The world causally impinges on your mind by way of your senses: your eyes, ears, nose,
and your sense of touch.
• The Pineal gland- The TV analogy

7. Problems with Cartesian Dualism
• 1. How can the body and mind ever interact given the substance distinctiveness?
• The pineal gland respond, is it convincing?
• 2. if the mind is free(simple) and the body is determined, what is the nature of that
freedom?
• 3. The mental is private, how can I know other minds and the external world?
• 4. is unconsciousness possible given the conscious nature of the mind-the cogito ergo
sum.