Essay On Descartes Mind And Body

Essay on Descartes Mind and Body
Descartes has a very distinct thought when thinking about the mind, and how it relates to the body, or more specifically then brain. He seems to want
to explain that the mind in itself is independent from the body. A body is merely a physical entity that could be proven to be true scientifically and
also can be proven through the senses. Such things are not possible with the meta–physical mind because it is independent of the body. Building on his
previous premises, Descartes finally proves whether material things exist or not and determines whether his mind and body are separate from each
other or not. In Meditation Six, Descartes lays the foundation for dualism which has become one of the most important arguments in philosophy....
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In my eyes this does not cancel out that God is real, because it is possible that at first God created everything with good intentions, and left
individuals to live and react to certain situations their own ways. He then begins to address the problem of imagination. If he realizes that things are
around him, that rules out the possibility that he is imagining such entities. He says that imagination is not essential to his existing, so he removes
himself from these thoughts. After seeing this, he then attempts to see if the body truly does exist. He explains the beliefs he has about the outside
world. He understands his body and such experiences it goes though, and through that he realizes that they must be present, and if they were not it
would be impossible for him to feel them. He distinguishes the body from other things because the body must always be present, while other things
could be merely different feelings. He here uses premises that he developed in Meditations three and four to help state that mind and body both exist,
but separately. He says that his mind is different from his body, so therefore it must be separate from it. He then comes back to his Truth Rule from
Meditation Four. "Every judgment that I make concerning matters that are "clear and distinct" to me is most assuredly true." He says that god has
made him think that his mind and body at distinctly separate, so they must be. He argues that his body and mind are
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The Mind/Body Problem
The mind/body problem questions the relationship between the mental and the physical. As we all know, the mind contains beliefs and desires while
the brain is a material substance that contains different structures such as tissues, the frontal lobe, the amygdala, neurons, etc. The whole issue
surrounding the mind/body problem is to discover whether the mind and body are one and the same function or whether they are separate objects. Mind
/Body Identity theorists claim that these two work as one biological function. This is a problem because if one believes that the Mind and Body are the
same function then arguments concerning religion and spirituality would hold no purpose in the realm of philosophy. Philosophers attempt to give
light to this problem through Cartesian Dualism––the argument that the mind and body are two separate entities; the body (in which the brain is inside
of) ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Here is a scenario––say one is sitting on a chair and munching on a kit–kat bar. In this moment, the brain is releasing dopamine since the person is
enjoying the chocolate bar.(I) However, the person can also be thinking of how much they desire a soda to go with their chocolate bar.(II) In this
scenario, the Dualist claims that the physiological constitution of eating the chocolate is the dopamine being released into the brain. However, the
mental property is the desire to have a soda with the chocolate bar. Dualism claims that this desire (mental property) has no relationship with the
dopamine (physical property) being released into the brain and thus, certain beliefs and thoughts that an individual may have cannot so easily be found
during physiological brain states.(III) Taking this into consideration, the objections towards the Dualist argument can be refuted–and thus Dualism is a
valid argument.(IV)

The Dualism Of The Mind And The Body?
Nowadays, it is believed that the body is the most important aspect of human beings. This is shown in todayВґs culture with things from clothes to
enterprises. Oppositely, in the scene from "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back", Yoda tries to explain Luke that he must not judge him by
his size, that this is meaningless, and that in spite of the fact that he is small and seems weak he is capable of doing anything thanks to the "Force"
which he controls with his mind, which may also be compared to the soul as will is attributed to it. This leads to the dualism of the mind and the body
analyzed by RenГ© Descartes or even to the soul and body dualism found in PlatoВґs writings. However, it must be considered the question of whether
they are really separated entities or not. Consequently, it is possible to pose the question that this essay intends to answer: to what extend is the mind
separated from the body? ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Provided that the human being is composed by both, mind and body, and supported with works from philosophers as Baruch Spinoza and Ernst Mach,
it is going to be sustained that the mind and the body are the same, as they compose the human body. Therefore, it can be argued that they have the
same essence but they express different attributes. Despite they are different, one cannot exist without the other, or at least oneВґs existence cannot be
proven without the other, meaning that the only way to prove the existence of the mind is through the body (language) and that the only way to prove
the existence of a well–functioning body is through their feelings and

The Mind Body Problem
Kaylan Monice
PHI 111
C.Brown
Feb 2017
Mind–Body Problem
Per the theory, the mind is about mental processes, thought and consciousness. The body is about the physical aspects of the brain–neurons and how
the brain is structured. The mind–body problem is about how these two interact. One of the biggest questions in psychology and philosophy concerns
the mind/body problem: If they are distinct, then how do they interact? And which of the two is in charge? Many theories have been put forward to
explain the relationship between what we call your mind, so defined as the conscious thinking 'you' which experiences your thoughts or spiritual being
and your brain, part of your body. However, the most common explanation concerns the question of whether the mind and body are separate entities or
the same thing. While asking and recording my responses for this particular exercise a few came up with the choice number 4 which stated,
"Nonphysical things cannot casually interact with physical things " when comparing it , your mind being able to interact with physical things in
general was immediately shut down , that it was not possible, that you cannot casually interact , between the mind and the outside world at a whim,
with–out some kind of training to understanding the non–physical things ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They began to generally go with the first three answers, the mind and the body were separate on was physical and one was not and that the mind and
the body could casually affect one another. The mention of those who believe in religion and what the mind represented was mentioned to further
explain or provide different viewpoints or answers but most stayed the same in their

The Relationship of the Mind and the Body: The Person
Can the mind exist without the body? Can the body exist without the mind? Surely in this day and age, there are artificial ways to keep the body
alive even if the brain is pronounced dead. Likewise, the body can be completely immobilized, in a coma, yet the mind can still be alive and active.
But can either really exist in its entirety on its own, performing its functions as usual, and in the same manner as if it was still in union with its partner?
In his book, Discourse on the Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, Rene Descartes analyzes the mind and the body as two entirely distinct and
separate entities. Through his analysis, he concludes that the mind does not need the body to exist. Descartes argues that since we are at the ... Show
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We see in this statement that he doubts his body, but not his mind, because he knows only that he exists as something that thinks. Though Descartes
may not explicitly state that he is so in this section, we know he is a person, and with his conclusion of what he thinks he is, we can conclude that
what his definition of a person is is merely an existing, thinking thing. What Descartes fails to realize is that a person must be much more than simply
the existence of something that can think. This dualistic point of view reduces a person to no more than a spiritually existing type of "thing;" a
non–grounded, non–acting type of material. How does this make sense? Can a person be born as just a mind? No. Likewise, a person cannot be
born as just a body. The mind contributes to the body equally as much as the body contributes to the mind. Our mind may make the connections and
tell us what our senses cannot, but our minds would have nothing to analyze and connect if our senses did not convey things to it first. For example,
our minds could not know a tree if our eyes did not see the tree first and then send the image of the tree to our minds to be analyzed. The two are in
relationship with each other and unified as one, and therefore must be analyzed as one.
To look at it the question of how the body and soul are united and what

The Unity of the Mind and Body
The Unity of the Mind and Body Both Michel De Montaigne and John Donne argue that the cultivation of the mind is linked to the well being of the
body. Both argue that a mind void of proper enrichment and education will lead to an unhealthy body. However, Montaigne argues that the appropriate
means of “education and enrichment” are studying and following the works of other great thinkers of history. Additionally, Montaigne
declares imagination to be the impetus for the downfall of the body. Conversely, Donne argues that amind groomed in imagination is the proper mode
of finding bodily health. In their writings, both Montaigne and Donne are seeking a unity between the mind and the body. By comparing
Montaigne’s ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He declares that the “…comical impediments which so embarrass our society that they talk of nothing else are most likely caused by
apprehensions and fears”(pg.39). These apprehensions and fears are brought on, Montaigne argues, by an imagination that controls the mind
and body. Montaigne even goes as far as to call imagination the culprit for many people falling ill, as he says that the reason some people become sick
is that their imaginations concoct how bad they could feel, and their bodies simple follow suit. He states that “…the mind must generally
be prepared in advance.”(pg.41) in order for the body to feel a certain way. Montaigne’s whole argument in the essay reflects his distaste
for the cultivation of a mind through imagination and his idea that imagination leads to an unhealthy mind and consequently, an unhealthy body. John
Donne’s general viewpoint on the relationship between the mind and the health of the body differs greatly from Montaigne’s.
Donne’s theory is simply that the path to a healthy body is an imagination. He claims that the imagination is the machine responsible for
creating the ideas that make the body feel good. As for education, he argues that the highest forms of education are not from history books or
philosophers, but

Descartes Mind And Body
The problem of interaction between substances.
Perhaps one of the most controversial issues in the Cartesian view of mind and body is how the two substances interact. In the book The passion of
the Soul Descartes returned to the problem; he suggests that there is a gland in the middle of the brain in charge of the interaction; he maintains that
"from there it radiates through the rest of the body by means of the animal spirits") (Descartes, 1649/1984, p.341). But what does he mean? The
pineal gland is itself physical; Gassendi pointed out that "If it is a physical point, the difficulty still stands, since such a point does not wholly lack of
parts. If is a mathematical point, then such a point, as you are aware is, purely imaginary" (Descartes, 1641/1985, p.236) To ... Show more content on
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and this quantity of motion is "the product of its speed and its size" (Descartes, 1644/2012, p.33), but the conception of speed used by Descartes is an
scalar rather than considered as a vector like velocity (as modern development shows (Gerald Holton and Stephen G. Brush , 2001, p. 210)),
nonetheless Descartes suggests that "the mind does not directly move the external limbs, but simply controls the animal spirits which flow from the
heart via the brain into the muscles, and sets up certain motions in them.." (Descartes, 1641/1985, p. 161), and this allow the interaction of substances
in Cartesian terms, in other words, according to Descartes, the soul only change the direction of the body, but cannot add motion to the physical bodies;
however, this is the problem of the interaction in Cartesian terms: as Dennett explain "any change in the trajectory of any physical entity is an
acceleration requiring the expenditure of energy" (Dennett, 1991, p. 35), thus, the Cartesian explanation should violate the laws of physics, in other
words as Dennett asks "...where is this energy to come from?" (Dennett, 1990, p.35), and this energy cannot come from a

Descartes Mind and Body
Descartes' Mind Body Dualism
Rene Descartes' main purpose is to attempt to prove that the mind that is the soul or the thinking thing is distinct and is separate from the body. This
thinking thing was the core of himself, which doubts, believes, reasons, feels and thinks. Descartes considers the body to be an extended unthinking
thing; therefore it is possible that one may exist without the other. This view is known as mind–body dualism. He believes that what he is thinking in
his mind is what God created and instilled in him. Descartes outlines many arguments to support and prove his claims of his discoveries. He states that
because he can think, his mind exists. This is known as the Cogito, which is the first existential principal of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It does not rule out other possibilities, such as waking up to find oneself to be not a human but a different form of life. Therefore the statement of
the body is too broad to specifically identify as being in human form. Also, it should be noted that the Cogito only works for the thought. It cannot be
used in a sense that, I can walk or sleep therefore I exist since I can doubt these actions carried out by the body. The reason why a person cannot
doubt itself is because the doubt is in a form of a thought in ones mind, not an action of our body.
Descartes discusses that physical objects are more known distinctly through the mind than through the body and explains his reason further in the
Wax Argument. The Wax Argument describes how Descartes wanted to show that we come to know things using the intellectual parts of our brain
rather than through our senses. Basically, Descartes is trying to prove that we know the mind truly better than anything else, like our bodies and the
world outside of the mind. This argument begins by describing the process of change by which solid wax melts until it has changed its phase of
matter to form a liquid puddle. Descartes describes the wax uses his senses as he says, "Its color, shape, and size are manifest. It is hard and cold; it
is easy to touch. If you wrap it with your knuckle it will emit a sound. In short, everything is present in that it appears

The Mind-Body Problem
The purpose of this paper is to explain the mind–body problem. I will be describing the basic concept of the mind–body problem with the five basic
problems that are categorized with it. I will also be taking a stand in property dualist view while offering a counter argument and then a reply to that
argument.
The mind–body problem is an ancient problem where philosophers ask, "What is the relationship between the mind and the body?". This is an ongoing
problem that concerns the nature of the relationship between the mind (consciousness or soul) and the physical world. So, what are the differences
between physical properties and mental properties. Physical properties have certain weights, shape, hardness, location, extension in space, chemical ...
Mary has been confined to a black–and–white room her entire life and has been educated through black–and–white textbooks and televisions. Through
this she has learned everything there is to know about the physical nature of the world. She knows all there is to know about the physical facts of the
environment, chemistry, and neurophysiology. According to physicalism she knows all there is to know. To say otherwise is to say that there is more
to know than every physical fact, and that contradicts physicalism. Mary one day leaves that room and sees the color red, which means she has learned
something new. This new knowledge is against physicalism which proves it to be false. This argument is revolved around the qualia of experiencing
something new. To understand the argument more, one should break it down to each part that happens. When Mary is in the black–and–white room,
she has no knowledge of the qualia that comes from experiencing the color red. Once Mary sees the color red and is now acquainted with the
qualitative features that characterize the experiences of red. Mary then learns and knows that she is looking at something red, and finally she knows
what it is like for others to see something red. Jackson came up with this argument to object physicalism. Since Mary knew all the physical facts there
were to know, how did she learn something

The Separation between Mind and Body
Looking at my work, one may wonder whether they are looking at something tiny or enormous. Is the object representing something interior or
exterior? This dichotomy correlates to idea of separation, or even conflict, between mind and body. Are the two separate, or are they symbiotic,
and entirely dependent on each other? Just as some people believe that meditation can clarify or synchronize the mind and body, my work is a
process that symbolically expresses trauma, disease, and death, beyond what is apparent from a physical body, bringing about a similar
synchronization. Recently, I have been exploring Francisco J. Varela's ideas of the portable laboratory. He said, "Human beings in their
embedded, situated life, constitute a de facto topographical place (the body, the self) where procedures and gestures can be carried out to directly
explore the human experience itself (the quest)."1 In my practice, I seek to explore both the physical and psychological aspects of trauma and
healing. As I have continued with my own exploration, I have expanded my research to include ideas from philosophy and science as well as art.
The contemporary philosopher, Susan J. Brison has been a great influence in my practice. One quote that has inspired much of my work comes from
her book, Aftermath: Violence and the Remaking of a Self. She said, "We are our molecules; our deepest fears, joys, and desires are embodied in the
chemical signals of our neurotransmitters. But we are also creators of

Descartes Mind And The Body
Descartes argues for mind–body dualism in his Meditations on First Philosophy and Discourse on Method. Descartes's arguments attempt to prove that
the mind and the body are two distinct substances. He argues that human existence is solely based on thought and not the existence of a physical body.
He also shows the difference between the mind and body by identifying them as extended and non extended things. His arguments give rise to the
philosophical problems of how we can come to know other people's minds and how we can be sure if animals have minds. Descartes solves these
problems by establishing clear and distinct ideas from mental inspection cannot be false because God is not a deceiver and that language and
adaptability prove intelligence making the minds of animals different than the minds of humans. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
By doing this he will only know things he is certain of. The basis of doubt is how Descartes finds his first principle of philosophy, "I think, therefore I
am" (Method 18). Descartes deduces that the fact that he is able to doubt that he doesn't have a body actually proves his existence because this doubt
requires thought, "I was a substance the whole essence or nature of which is simply to think, and which, in order to exist, has no need of any place nor
depends on any material thing." (Method 18–19). This proves that the only thing that he can be sure of his existence is that it involves thought and
that he can't be sure it's physical because it could be based on a lie or

Is The Mind Body Problem?
Philosophy is a complex field that tries to better understand the world we live in. There have been a multitude of amazing philosophers that have
helped shaped the world around us, all of which have had their own single beliefs. One of their main issues faced in philosophy is the mind–body
problem, and philosophers are still trying to solve this predicament to this day. Themind–brain problem is trying better to understand whether a
person's mental processes are the same as their physical processes. As of today, philosophy has broken the problem into two fundamental parts that
has been split down into separate subparts. Personally, I find it easier to believe in substance dualism, because of how I perceive the idea. This
however, is my own ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The secondary form of the mind–brain conflict is the concept of dualism. Dualism is the idea that instead of one substance, there are two different
substances. This concept tells individuals that there is spiritual dimension to a person's mind. This causes the consciousness in the mind, and a possible
enduring attribute. Dualism also believes that a person has a physical body and mind that work as one substance. While the non–physical aspects count
as the second substance (Philosophy 1). So to put it in simplest terms dualist deny that the brain and mind are the exact same thing (Caleff 1). The
first subpart is a form of dualism and is known as Elemental Property Dualism. Elemental Dualist believe that the mental substance can interact with a
person's brain. However they deny the idea that mental processes are the identical to the physical processes of the brain. In cases there have been two
problems that evolve with believing Elemental Property Dualism. The first being that if a mental property is fundamental, why are all the other
fundamental properties opposed. The second issue is that Elemental Dualism offers no sign of justification, for figuring the presence of a fundamental
property to clarify cognitive function (C.B.). This next property is also a form of dualism and is known as Interactionist. Interactionist is the concept
that unique properties in the mind can collaborate with the brain. They also believe that the consciousness of a person's mind is a

Mind And Body Therapies Essay
1.If I had to choose one type of CAM I would choose mind and body therapies. I am a firm believer that your mind is a huge factor in how you deal
and overcome sickness. If you can relax and heal your mind recovery can be a lot smoother. I believe in nurturing you mind and spirit through yoga and
meditation.
2.I have used herbal therapies myself. I believe in herbal teas like peppermint to help treat nausea. I do not like taking medication so when I can
avoid it I do. I also know many people who prefer natural therapies. One of my friends drinks a ginger milk tea to help her with her nervousness and
she says it helps her a lot.
3.I think the only one I would try is acupuncture. I know people who use it and say they feel so much better when ... Show more content on
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It is important to tell your healthcare provider about natural products you are taking because they can still have a interaction with other medications
you are taking. Sometimes people think since something is natural it won't effect a medication you are taking like a blood thinner, but some herbs also
thin your blood. If you didn't tell your healthcare provider you are taking a natural supplement that also has this effect it could lead to devastating
results.
5.I would not take anything other than herbal supplements, like peppermint tea or ginseng, agrimony used to help sore throats, and valerian roots it
helps ease your mind. I am for using the earth's natural plants, roots and other elements to heal yourself. I would never take anything not in pure form.
I would do my own research and decides what's best for me.
Part 2.
I am confused because it seemed like they didn't really talk about the case, everyone was more upset that they had to be there rather than actually
determining the verdict. I would stand up against the majority if I felt in my heart it was the right stance to take. I would not just go along with what
others think just to fit it. I will always stand up for what I believe in any situation. I think he was right, he stood up for what he believed in. He didn't
back down on his beliefs just because everyone else thought

The Mind And Body Problem
Abstract:
It is more reasonable to think that the patient has the usual range of mental states. Behaviours visually express mental states better than knowing if one
has a Cartesian soul or the requirement of a normal human brain.
Body:
It is reasonable to think that the patient has the usual range of mental states because she is behaviourally indistinguishable from a normal human.
Behaviours make mental states more evidentially obvious than knowing the brain state of a patient or if they have a Cartesian soul or not.
Doctor 4 provides the argument that since the patient is behaviourally indistinguishable from a normal human, she has the usual range of mental states.
Gilbert Ryle's view on the mind and body problem stems from "Philosophical or logical behaviourism" (Wk. 8–1, Slide 18). This view means that the
idea that ascriptions of mental states correlates to "dispositions of behaviour" (Wk. 8–1, Slide 18). Behaviourists describe that saying, "I am in pain,
does not report an inner state, but rather is part of being in pain" (Wk. 8–1, Slide 23). B.F. Skinner, a psychological behaviourist, also believes that
mental states correlate to behaviours. Psychological Behaviourism is defined as, "studying the mind by studying behaviour" (Wk. 8–1, Slide 26).
Skinner's black box is an experiment to observe "stimulus/response pairings" (Wk. 8–1, Slide 26). Suppose we were to subject the patient to a number
of stimuli in a test environment, and noted down her behaviours. We would

Mind Body Dualism : The Ideas Of Mind-Body Dualism
Matt Lawrence mentions mind–body dualism as a possible answer to some of the many philosophical questions brought up in the Matrix trilogy of
films, but what is mind–body dualism? In this paper I will attempt to answer that question by delving into and defining the concept, examining one of
the minds that formulated it and how he did just that, while also briefly touching upon a few counterpoints and ideas that may negate the theory
altogether. So, the basic belief of mind–body dualism is that the mind and body are separate, self contained entities. "Our bodies have an address in
the first realm, whereas our minds and everything psychological about minds make their home in the second realm... these realms are forever
separate such that the mind and body cannot influence one another. The mind works according to the rules of the spiritual realm and the body
operates according to the mechanical world of physics," (Lieberman). Matt Lawrence says that the logic of this viewpoint lies in the difference
between the properties of body and mind and how we measure them. To put it bluntly: material things like the body have size, weight, and shape;
immaterial things like the mind do not. "Take for instance Morpheus' hope that Neo is the one. How big is his hope? ... And what shape is it? Of
course we cannot say," (Lawrence). These differences and more lead the supporters of the theory to believe that the mind and body are different
substances altogether and theoretically capable of existing on their own. After all, physical objects apart from our minds (like rocks, socks, or building
blocks) surround us all the time. If they can exist without a mind, why not a mind without a body? Lawrence insists that this belief is central to the idea
of mind–body dualism. This theory is not a new one and has been a part of philosophy for hundreds of years. One of the earliest philosophers to
champion the idea of mind–body dualism was Frenchman RenГ© Descartes (Lawrence). Descartes first explored the concept in the sixth part of his
1641 treatise Mediations on First Philosophy. (Skirry). In it he stated, "On the one hand I have a clear and distinct idea of myself, in so far as I am
simply a thinking, non–extended thing [that is,

Mind And Body
Patrick Katz
PHI 1103
Michael Bruno
Word Count–1218
5 May 2016
Me, Myself, and My Body
The mind is about mental processes and thought, while the body is the physical aspects of the brain. For years, philosophers have been perplexed by
the mind–body problem. The mind is about mental processes and thought, while the body is the physical aspects of the brain. The mind–body problem
discusses the mind and body, along with the relationship between them. Dualists and monists are the two types of people that take a stand on the issue.
While Dualism may spilt mind and body, monism is the belief that the mind and body are together one. Each of these beliefs can be broken down into
types, justifying monism or dualism. Though each have been ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
On the other side of dualism is interaction. Interaction is the way the mind and body interact among each other, so the three variations of this are
interactionism, epiphenomenalism, and parallelism. Interactionism is where one believes that the mind and body influence one another. Next,
epiphenomenalism dictates that mental occurrences are caused by physical ones, but have no influence on the physical. Now parallelism is different
because it shares the view that both mental and physical states are not casually interacting, yet running in harmony with it. These are all the different
types of dualism that have been theorized to this day.
Many philosophers justify why dualism is the right theory behind the mind–body problem. However, there are others that believe monism is the ideal
theory towards the question. Monism is the view that the mind and body are essentially one. Within monism there are several different types; idealistic
monism, materialistic monism, neutral monism, reflexive monism, substantial monism, attributive monism, and absolute monism. To begin, the
idealistic monism view is one that shows the mind being all that exists and that everything else is simply a part of one's mental depiction. Materialistic
monism on the other hand is the complete opposite in that it holds that only the physical is real and the mind is reduced to the physical. More specific

The mind and body problem studies the relationship between the mind and the body, particularly the consciousness and the brain. The problem is
traced to Descartes, who questioned how the immaterial mind could affect the material body. In his view, the mind is a thinking thing while the body is
an extended thing, where the mind and the body are two separate substances, and held that there are two way causal reactions between the two. The
problem arises when we question how an immaterial object affect a material object in action (such as when the body performs an action), and how an
unextended thing affect something that is extended (such as the experience of pain). With this indication, the primary questions that concerns the
mind–body problem concentrates on the questions of: is the mind part of the body, or vice versa? If they are different, then how do they interact?
Conversely, the most common concern inquires whether the mind and body are separate characteristics or the same thing. For hundreds of years,
researchers, scholars, and philosophers have been trying to solve the problem of consciousness.
So far in our class discussions, we have seen various arguments on why consciousness is difficult to explain, and various arguments that it might not be
difficult as it seems. In Colin McGinn's article "Can we Solve the Mind–Body Problem?" he writes that we cannot exactly solve the mind–body
problem, but this "insolubility removes the philosophical problem" (McGinn 1991,

Mind Body & Soul
Everyone has their own opinions and beliefs and can interpret information as they see fit. Both Bertrand Rusell and Richard Swinburne have
expressed their views on the topics of the mind soul and the after life. These are very complex areas of science and have their own ideas of what the
mind and soul are and what there purposes are. Russell discussed the finality of Death. He argues that there cannot be life after death and that after the
destruction of our body's that our memories and personality are destroyed as well. He discusses the importance of fear when dealing with death. He
states that this is the strongest emotion and he also states that it is instinctive and biological and that it is useful. He thinks that if we truly... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
What comes to mind as the author describes this isn't a brain molded to your head shape? To me the brain is like contact lenses it should fit exactly
and most importantly no one else should be handling it but you or in the brain's case doctors if necessary. What if the body changes in size some
much time has gone by that anything could occur. I partly feel that by freezing the body and then putting the brain together you are tampering
with the forces of nature or as other would put it with God's wish. In conclusion I believe that both of these authors have their valid reasons for
writing about the mind, the soul, and death. These issues are rather difficult to discuss and it is my belief that there is no right or wrong answers.
To me it is all based on your beliefs and how you were brought up. I personally believe that religion place a strong role in this and it affects the way
we view issues like these. Those who believe in reincarnation would have a lot to say on this. In certain cultures even after your dead your soul
continues to live on. I understand that for some people this is a hard concept to grasp. To some it might seam rather abstract. I believe that once you
die your soul is put to rest, to me that is what death is all about finally being at

Mind/Body Practices: Ancient Traditions with Contemporary...
In October of 1991, the United States Congress passed a law dedicating $2 million to fund an office of the National Institute of Health dedicated to the
investigation of nontraditional medical practices. Seven years later, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
became an official branch of the National Institutes of Health. Although alternative medicine has only recently gained official recognition in the United
States, the mind/body practices that pervade NCCAM's research have ancient roots. For example, the some forms of meditation, a technique originating
in Eastern religions, can be traced back thousands of years. The AmericanYogaAssociation reports that yoga dates back more than 5,000 years! As of
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Both forms of meditation can increase relaxation and awareness of the body and mind.
Research proves that meditation can be clinically effective for various conditions. A study by Delgado–Pastor et. al. (2013) enlisted ten Vipassana
meditators to undergo two sessions, one in which they meditated and another in which they rested without meditating. The study found that meditation
allowed for greater awareness of both present experience and autonomic regulation. Awareness of oneself in this sense, the authors suggest, can assist in
reduction of clinical symptoms, which share similar psychological and physiological mechanisms. Thus, further research may find clinical benefits in
the therapeutic use of meditative techniques (Delgado–Pastor et. al., 2013). Another study looked at the benefits of meditation for female breast cancer
patients undergoing radiation therapy (Kim et. al., 2013). Specifically, the investigators were studying how meditation assisted symptoms related to the
women's anxiety, depression, fatigue, and overall quality of life. The study compared 102 women, some of who were randomly selected to partake in
12 meditation therapy sessions (in addition to the radiation therapy) for 6 months. Another group attended only radiation therapy. Results showed that
the women who participated in meditation therapy had significantly reduced levels of anxiety and fatigue, as well as an overall

Mind Body Dualism
In The Concept of Mind, Gilbert Ryle labels the theory for mind–body dualism as "The Dogma of the Ghost in the Machine" (Ryle, 5). The argument
for mind–body dualism states that two substances exist: physical substances and mental substances. 'Physical substances are composed of matter' (Ryle,
3). Moreover, physical substances are beings like bodies; they have a spatial location, but they cannot think. In comparison, 'mental substances consist
of consciousness' (Ryle, 3). Mental substances are beings like minds; they can think, but they do not have a spatial location. Furthermore, the theory for
mind–body dualism states that every living person has both a mind, which is a mental substance, and a body, which is a physical substance, and that
the mind interacts with the body. Thus, when Ryle speaks of the ghost in a machine, he is referring to the idea that there exists a mental substance, a
mind, which exists inside of the body, a physical substance. The mind is the ghost, which is inside the body,... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Moreover, analytic behaviorism is the idea that it is a specific behavior, the statements or claims an individual makes, that an individual's mental
state(s) can be explained. Analytic behaviorists hold that claims about mental states "analytically entail" (Handout 3) a disposition to act in a specific
manner. This means that claims about mental states are the consequence of a specific mental state. For example, if Donald Trump says "I have a
desire for soda", then one can reasonably deduce that Donald Trump is likely to drink a soda – that Trump has a behavioral disposition to drink soda.
An analytic behaviorist holds the view that Donald Trump's assertion for a desire of soda is a consequence of the mental state of wanting soda. There
is no ambiguity in what Donald Trump is asserting. The assertion is a consequence of the

Bodies and Minds
How do our bodies and minds change from early to late adulthood?
Joshua Lansberry
Ashford University
PSY 304 Lifespan Development
Prof. Pamela Vincent
May 18, 2015
How do our bodies and minds change from early to late adulthood?
As we age does our mind simply begin to deteriorate in the same fashion as our body does in regards to it physical capabilities? Have you wondered
what affect does peri and post–menopause have in relation to memory decline in women? Is dementia directly related to cognitive aging? All of these
conditions have one thing in common, they all occur as the human body starts to age into late adulthood. Aging from early to late adulthood has an ...
As the body ages into middle adulthood which is forties to sixties other physical changes take place. Physical change become noticeable, disease
becomes more prevalent, reaction time slows, eyesight diminishes, height begins to slowly decline, and menopause occurs in women and the male
reproductive system starts to slowly change. In late adulthood which is sixties and beyond, height continues to decline, the senses continue their
gradual decline and become more noticeable, bone diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases become prevalent and dementia eventually affects a large
proportion of adults. Under normal conditions a person cannot be prevented from experiencing predetermined physical changes (Mossler, 2013).
Another aspect that changes with aging is cognitive development.
Cognitive development is a broad domain that refers to the development of the mind. Cognitive processes are connected to the growth and decline of
memory. Cognition includes the basics of how we learn, make decisions and use language. Mental cognitive development is effected by age as well.

One of the reasons many think all older people are in rapid decline is due to the availability heuristic. The availability heuristic is a mental shortcut that
causes people to make quick, incorrect judgments based on limited information. Older people in decline get more attention than those who are
independent, so the available information

The Philosophy Of Mind And The Body
Philosophy of mind had come across when philosophers had an idea of the concepts regarding the human mind and its mysteries. This branch of
psychology had intended to elaborate and study the nature and aspects of the human mind, also how these concepts such as mental events, mental
functions and consciousness would connect to each other, through the human brain and body. Philosophy ofmind became one of the central areas of
philosophy as the skills and abilities of metalizing are used to treat individuals as the bearers of unobservable psychological states and processes, and
in order to anticipate and explain the individual's behavior in terms of states.
Dualism, a philosophy most defended by Rene Descartes, Believed that there are two concepts to philosophy, regarding the mind and the body.
Dualism, is possibly the oldest and the most intuitive of the philosophies of mind, however within the modern psychology, this philosophy is a minority
view among psychologists. This theory states that the mental cannot exist outside of the body, and the body is unable to think. It refers to reality as
two distinct kind of things – Mental and material things. Dualists often believe in different concepts regarding how these would relate to each other.
Dualists fall into a variety of camps depending on how they would believe the mind and the body is related. Interactionists see that the mental events
have effects or can cause the physical effects. Epiphenomena believe in a compromise

The Mind And The Body
The mind and the body are two different but unique essentials of an individual. Both the mind and the body play an important role in an individual's
life. From making decisions by using the brain, to being able to sense all five senses from the body, both parts illustrate its importance of existence. In
today's society, the mind and the body have shown a connection between how an individual regulates his or her own daily lifestyle. Although, it hasn't
always been clear about how the mind and the body are connected. In fact, back in the day, individuals didn't seem to understand the importance of the
mind and the body. Many philosophers, such as Descartes and Spinoza were two important contributors that illustrated the importance of the mind.
Both individuals had similar thinking, however, they both still had different theories and ideas about the human mind and body. Even though science
believes that the mind and the body must work together, Descartes believed that the mind and the body are two different essences that are conscious,
and have their own regulations and ways of existing and can exist on their own, and lastly, both the mind and the body have their own observational
patterns. Firstly, Descartes does have the right to hold that the mind and body are two completely separate things, with different essences, as he has
explained this by the argument that both the mind and the body have their own conscious roles. According to Descartes, the mind will always be

Psychology : The Mind Body
Abstract
In the history of psychology, there are several problems that have persisted throughout the years. One major issue is the mind body relationship. This
topic has been examined for numerous times and several viewpoints have been taken from like philosophers from the western world, who focused on
two views of the problem mostly, and later other views and subtypes emerged. TheMind–Body theme attempts to identify the relationship between the
mind and body, in other words, between the mental realms like thoughts and emotions and physical realms like neurons. Although there is evidence for
all the viewpoints, the problem continues and remains unresolvable.
Keywords: mind–body, relationship, mental, physical The Mind–Body Problem The ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Dualism is a set of observations about the relationship between mind and matter; and it is important to understand that mental phenomena can
sometimes be non–physical. The second view, the way of reason constrained by faith, focuses on nature and not God, empiricism is stressed, and it
states the body and soul are inseparable. This view states that the body and soul are inseparable (interactionism), it focuses on nature rather than God
and therefore empiricism is highly important (Hergenhahn, 2014). This standpoint was examined by Aristotle, Avicenna and Averroes, and Aquinas
and the recent term or it is the interactionist view. Though these individuals from both sides existed before psychology was considered a science, their
ideas have impacted and offered much to psychology in many ways.
Next, in the renaissance era Rene Descartes revisited the subject with an interactionist standpoint. He believed that the mind permeated the entire body
and that the mind is not housed inside the body but closely related; if not for this relation feelings and experiences wouldn't be possible (Hergenhahn,
2014). Though, after numerous efforts to explain the mind–body interaction, he concluded that it could not be logically explained. This is where the
subject of mind–body stands today for the most part; although strides are made there is no unified consensus.
Daniel E. Flage discusses Descartes' work on the issue, stating Descartes takes an epistemic view and provides no

Nishtha Patel
December 13, 2014
PHILO 1100–091
The Mind and Body Problem
The issue of the origins of consciousness has been a problem that has philosophers and scientists alike, puzzled for years. Is it a matter of science? Can
it be explained through neurobiological processes or is it just something that simply cannot be reduced to words? Rene Descartes had struggled to
explain this problem through his idea of substance dualism. This idea states that the mind and body are of two separate worlds, the physical world and
the mental world. He then goes on by describing himself as a "thinking thing" and questions the existence with the mind and body thus bringing the
questions of the material and the immaterial. From this sprouts the mind–body problem, the connection between mental phenomena and the physical
world on which the mind depends. In this philosophical essay, I will question whether the mind and body coexist or if they are two separate entities
that make us who we are.
One of the first arguments made in Cartesian Dualism is the argument of doubt. Descartes starts to doubt the perception of his body, but handedly
cannot conceive the possibility that he is without a mind. This is because he of the very act of doubting that he is a thinking thing, there has to be
something that is doing the doubting as. He continues to make the argument by saying as followed:
I am certain that I am a thinking thing
I am not certain that I am a physical thing
Therefore, I am not a

Mind and Body
Mind and Body The concept of mind and body interactions has been debated among many modern philosophers. Some believe that our minds and
bodies are different things, thus existing separately, while others believe that they exist as a whole. In this paper, I will be introducing two rationalist
philosophical views regarding this topic, one which is by Rene Descartes and the other by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Rationalists, in philosophical
terms, are the ones who obtain their knowledge through reasoning rather than the human senses. Descartes and Leibniz both have similar
perspectives, but Leibniz takes a slightly different approach to improve Descartes' argument. This paper will first show Descartes' original argument,
an example that proves the argument to be invalid, and then lastly, a revised version of the argument with Leibniz's help. Rene Descartes is a
modern French philosopher, who is famous for his line, "I think, therefore I am." The meaning of this quote is that he must exist because he has the
ability to think. In Descartes most famous work, The Meditations, he starts off by doubting everything, which is known as the Method of Doubt. He
believes that our senses are always deceiving us in some way and so our senses are unreliable in proving anything. By this, he means that when we
use our senses, such as our vision, to look at something, the way that the object looks from afar is different from the way it looks upfront, thus,
deceiving us. However, Descartes

The Human Body And Mind Essay
A Picture as I see it.
The human brain is an amazing phenomenon. It is arguably the most important organ in the human body. True, the heart does pump blood through our
veins to transport oxygen from our lungs to the tissues in our body so we may live, but, without the core of our central nervous system (the Bain) to
regulate the heartbeat, breathing, sight, sensations, hearing and many other functions that our body's perform every moment of our lives, we would
die. Look at the brain as a computer motherboard, it is programed to tell our body what to do when to do it through thought or instinct. In order for the
brain to tell our body's exactly how to react to a situation it first must know what is going on. This is accomplished throughout the body by Sensation
and Perception. To show how this process works in the human body andmind, I will choose a painting that I have never seen before and describe how
my mind processes this information and relays it to the rest of my body to get either an emotional or physical reaction. I will also describe how
writing this paper has affected my perception on critical thinking. First let us start by defining Sensation and Perception. Sensation is the retrieval
process of stimulus from the outside the human body (King, L.A. (2016). Experience psychology. (3rd ed). New York: McGraw Hill). Perception as also
defined by (King, L.A. (2016). Experience psychology. (3rd ed.) says that this is the process that the brain uses to interpret all

Mind Body Problem
Mind and Body problem has remained a mystery for ages and maybe, it will remain a mystery forever because there is no real answer to this
problem. This is because one can either believe it scientifically or one can believe religiously, both are distinct in their own arguments. Philosophers
have struggled to explain this problem for many centuries. This metaphysical problem arises from two basic observations–we have a mind as in a soul
and thoughts, and we have a physical body as in movements and events. There are two well known explanations to the mind and body problem. They
are known as dualism and physicalism also known as materialism.
Rene Descartes a french philosopher and a scientist proposed and in depth explanation to the mind–problem, his ... Show more content on
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Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, physicalism actually evolved from materialism. Materialism says that matter is the
fundamental substance of all of nature. Physicalism is defined as the mind and body both being purely physical. This theory is supported largely by
science, unlike dualism. It is a well known fact that there is a tangible brain inside of our bodies. Without that brain the mind as in thoughts feelings
and emotions would not be able to function. Scientists have discovered and named known parts of the brain that correlate with speech, motor skills,
etc. There has not been a discovery of a part of the human brain that is responsible for our conscious. An interesting example of physicalism would be
if someone were to get a brain injury. There have been thousands if not millions of documented cases of brain injury affecting speech, thoughts, motor
skills, and so on. Assuming that the mind is purely responsible for our thoughts, this would support the theory of physicalism. Also supporting this
theory, the mind would would also have to be purely physical, in order for it to be affected by the brain

The Importance Of The Human Body And Mind
I think the human body and mind is amazing. I studied Psychology and I'm still fascinated by human interactions. What scares me is how little we
know about the brain and how it manages to create feelings and thoughts whilst simultaneously controlling the entire body.
Why is the brain important?
The more we understand the structures of the brain and how the brain controls emotions the better chance we have of increasing wellness. I'm not a
neuroscientist but the developments in this field are worth your attention.
Signing up to build a Naked Tool Kit means only the naked truth is spoken. You won't find any wild claims of seven day fixes here because they don't
exist. The naked truth: understudying our body, mind and what we need to do to look after ourselves can be a challenge.
Here's some interesting information from Neuroscientist and Psychologist Lisa Feldman Barret's book 'How Emotions Are Made'
Your brain has the capacity to make new emotions ALL the time. This idea goes against the classical view of emotions being pre wired and triggered
by what happens in the world. This is a radical research claim.
There is no one size fits all when it comes to emotions. Variety is the norm! For example, someone might laugh, cry or shout loudly when happy.
No matter how confident you are at reading people (especially dealing with people across cultures) you can't assume you know how someone else
feels. History documents catastrophic mistakes made in politics and business when this has been attempted. (This means no therapist can truly know
how you feel. YOU are the expert of your feelings and how you can manage their impacts).
We all have basic wiring to feel unpleasant, pleasant, calm and distressed. We are the architect of our emotions after this. Data shows the brain isn't
reacting to the world, it's predicting and making emotions from a basic set of ingredients it has acquired since you were born. Just like making
different recipes from the ingredients you have in your kitchen (flour, water, eggs etc); similarly your brain has a set of networks it uses in recipes to
make different emotional states.

The same neural networks that work together to produce emotions work together to produce rational

The Mind And Body : Theories
The mind and body are two abstract concepts however; they both can be deduced to a simple principle of materialism. Rene Descartes posed a claim
that, the mind and body are not related and concludes that a brain is made of matter while a mind is made of "mental processes, thought and
consciousness" (simply psychology). However, Thomas Hobbes argued that "everything in the world, including our thoughts and mind, can be
explained in terms of one thing: matter in motion (many world of logic). Throughout this paper, I will explore three ideas: environmental factors,
physical connection and energy. Due to the advancement of science, the ideology of materialism supports the connection between the mind and body,
however disputing the view of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
We gain all the senses from our environment. Dualism fails to solve the dilemma because it's a state of mind of spirituality and it is not definite. For
example, if a soul or "mind" was separate and lived on forever then we would have invisible people roaming around, thus fails at the logic of science.
The second idea that will be viewed is the physical brain and the matter that composes this extraordinary information system. Science has evolved and
shown us that there are different parts of the brain that make up the mind. For instance," the cortex is the outermost layer of brain cells. Thinking and
voluntary movements begin in the cortex. Also, the brain is divided into many different lobes such as the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital. Each
of the lobe is responsible for a different function and together they make up the abstract system of the mind. If an individual gets hurt in a brain injury,
and cause damage to the frontal lobe this would result in problems in "problem solving, judgement and motor function" (webmb). These are the thought
processes and without these you cannot use your mind to make judgement and rational decisions. Thomas Hobbes states that "materialism is the
ultimate reality of physical matter, and all that is or ever was arises out of and is ultimately reducible to matter" (death reference). Not only is the brain
important but without arms, eyes, legs and the physical aspects of a

Is the mind independent to the body?
Is the mind independent to the body?
The mind body problem is a philosophical problem that is concerned with the relationship between the mind and the body, whether the mind exists
independently of the body or whether the mind and body are one substance. There is a vital difference between the mind and the body some would say,
meaning that the mind is held responsible for mental elements such as pain, euphoria, desire, purpose, belief and kindness whereas the body is
responsible for the physical elements such as mass, size, location, force, and even a pencil. These categories are very debateable and this is the cause
of the mind–body problem.
It is arguable that the mind and body exist independently of one another, so they are not one ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The existence of psychology as a field of study proves that the mind exists independently of the body. The term psychology means "the scientific study
of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behaviour in a given context". There would be no reason to study just the mind alone
and it's affects on something physical such as behaviour if the mind and the body were not independent. Mind affects behaviour, which as we know in
most case is physical. If the mind was the same thing as the body it could not affect itself.
The idea that the mind and body are one substance is often backed up by ideas such as the following. People often say that when damage occurs
from physical trauma, drug abuse or pathological diseases, our mental powers are always compromised. This means that when our body (something
physical) is in trauma, our mind has no choice but to be a part of it. This is proof that the mind and body are one substance because if it wasn't the
mind would have left our body to deal with the trauma and would not have been affected by it.
The placebo effect is very strong evidence that the mind and are one because when patients perceive actual improvement in their medical condition
after having a placebo it shows that because they mentally believe that it is going to cure them of their disease and they will get better, it makes

The Between Mind And Body
There is no real answer for the question about if mind and body are the same or different, a person is made of mind and body and the both have
different characteristics. Rene Descartes asked the question what am I. he gives and answer to the question by saying he is a thinking thig, if the body
and mind are different from one other, mind can also continue with no body because it is not import for what he is. Moreover body is breakable and
extender and mind is not breakable and non–extended, that is a reason they are different in nature.
Rene Descartes settled the metaphysical differences between the body and mind, but he also have to think about the relationship between mind and
body. Mind and body are two different substances with many properties. Moreover the mind and body communicate, its and everyday experience, the
actions that we do every day is from our thoughts. The relationship between the body and mind is much more close and special, it cannot be
regenerated with any other physical substances. When anywhere in the body is wounded we feel pain and tries to not get injured again. Desires and
thoughts have a connection with how the body behaves but the mind is able to take control of the body
Descartes assumes that if it is possible to conceive of one thing without the other, then those two things are not identical. The self is not a body, it's not
a physical thing without a body. He also argues that we can conceive of ourselves as existing. Thinking is

The Mind Body And Body
The Mind–Body problem arises to Philosophy when we wonder what is the relationship between the mental states, like beliefs and thoughts, and the
physical states, like water, human bodies and tables. For the purpose of this paper I will consider physical states as human bodies because we are
thinking beings, while the other material things have no mental processes. The question whether mind and body are the same thing, somehow related, or
two distinct things not related, has been asked throughout the history of Philosophy, so some philosophers tried to elaborate arrangements and
arguments about it, in order to solve the problem and give a satisfactory answer to the question. This paper will argue that the Mind–Body Dualism, a
view in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(In class, Schmit used the four elements to explain it.) Materialism is considered a monistic view, since it considers that all things belong to this one
fundamental kind of thing. Usually, the philosophers that believe in Materialism presuppose that, if the mind is a material thing, then it is reasonable
to relate it to the brain or with the functioning of the brain, since the brain is a material thing and it is certainly associated with thinking.
Opposed to Mind–Body Materialism is Mind–Body Dualism, a view which supports that mind and body are not identical, but, in some sense, radically
different kinds of thing. It denies that the mind is the same of the brain, or a product of the brain, by arguing that the thoughts and the material things
are composed of different substances, and the mind is a thinking thing that lacks the usual attributes of physical objects: size, shape, location, solidity,
motion, etc. According to the Dualism, the soul is comprised of a non–physical substance, while the body is constituted of matter. This view also
establishes that mind and body are capable of causally affecting each other, even if they are necessarily not the same thing. When applying this notion
the human body, the meaning becomes clearest: the intellect is responsible for all our acts, but it does not imply that the intellect is the brain. For
example, before eating a meal, which is a physical action, you probably felt hungry,

Descartes : Mind And Body Dualism
Descartes was a Renaissance philosopher who affirmed the value of the deductive method (Chaplin & Krawiec, 1983). This is an essential part of the
scientific method where in the search for knowledge one passes from the general to the particular in a way that starting from premises of universal
character particular statements are inferred. His philosophical method of questioning all propositions leads him to suggest that doubt is an act of
thinking and he could not doubt that he thought, affirming the primacy of existence: I think, therefore I am. This leads him to mind and body dualism
and to consider that although they are separate entities they act among themselves, for what is called interactionist (Chaplin & Krawiec, 1983). The ...
Nicolaus Copernicus and Isaac Newton, despite the dogmatism of the Middle Ages, in which reigned an atmosphere dominated by political
authoritarianism as religious, raised the importance of tying research to the empirical contributing to the scientific method.
Isaac Newton argued that every body left at liberty will move according to a straight line at uniform and constant speed: this is the law of inertia.
(Wolman, 1968). This concept of energy will be used by Freud to explain mental energy as energy discharge processes. Likewise, Kurt Lewin will
use the concept of energy in his Field theory. Lewin will consider any activity as change and attribute it to a "psychological force". He defined force as
the tendency to act in a certain direction where force has direction and magnitude (Wolman, 1968).
Copernicus postulated the heliocentric theory of the solar system, a theory that took man from the center of the universe, equating with the animal,
giving way to subsequent behavioral theories generalizing the results with animals to their application to human beings. He also prepared the ground
for other theorists to enunciate their theories such as Newton's gravitation. The associationists reacted to Newton's theory considering that if the
gravitational theory established that it is the force that holds the atomic parts of the universe together then

From the Mind to the Body, Self Comes to Mind
From the Mind to the Body, Self Comes to Mind The mind emerged from the body through the originations of conscious thoughts in an introspective
manner that is accessible to the self. A connection between mind and body eventually developed a proprietor within the thinking mind. The
neuropsychologist Antonio Damasio believes that a mind with subjectivity is a conscious mind, otherwise one would not know of his existence, who he
is, and what he thinks (Damasio, 2010). At some point in time, the mind developed feelings towards the experience of the connected "me"(Damasio,
2010). The human mind somehow collaborated with the body and began to differentiate between their inner world with subjective experiences, and the
objective ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Furthermore, Damasio breaks down the self–as–knower into three steps that together compose the knower. These divisions are knowns as the
protoself, composed of primordial feeling, the core self, which is action driven, and the autobiographical self that incorporates social and spiritual
dimensions (Damasio, 2010). These aspects of the self are indispensable to construct the conscious mind, and according to Damasio, one needs to
account for these aspects before trying to comprehend the neural basis of the conscious mind. Damasio and Bownds agree on the fact that human
minds are shaped and biased by their culture, and the society that they lived in (Bownds, and Damasio). Bownds explains that the human
knowledge is based on a preconceived idealization of what they already know. Consequently, a human mind is considered circular because they are
formed by the same environment that they try to describe (Bownds, 1999). Consider the mechanic system that a zipper comprises for an instance.
The zipper slider joins together two sides of a sweater in order to close the sweater and make it "work." In the same way, the mind works along with
the body. One can attribute the function of the zipper slider to the brain and the sides to the body, but specifically the side in which the zipper, or the
"brain," is attached, can represent the peripheral nervous system. In a way, the zipper slider, like

The Is The Mind, And A Physical Body
Section 1: I believe there is a soul, which also is the mind, and a physical body. The argument that supports my belief the best will generate from
the concept of a persons thoughts. I reject the belief that everything that is real must be in physical form. I believe there are both an immaterial
part to you and a physical part. The physical part of you cannot survive without the immaterial. The immaterial part of a person is the soul, which I
also believe, is the mind. However, your soul can live on without the physical sense of you. I believe that the physical part of you, your body, is
acting like a cage to your soul. The body is kind of like a suit that your soul wears while it is on Earth. There is only one part of you that controls
your actions and thoughts, which is your mind. Also, I believe that your body without a soul is just dead. If your soul and body are no longer at
one then I believe you soul moves on to another world where your body is just dead. Once the soul and body are no longer connected the body has
no purpose and has no actions. Since without the soul the body is nothing but matter then the soul is that part that is making all decisions, which is
why I believe it is also the mind. It is the part of a person that make up a personality or gives a person reason. I believe the mind is the only part of a
person that makes decisions and puts your physical body in action. With believing that the soul is in a body but the soul does not need the body, I

The Mind-Body Connection
Group 7:
The Mind–Body Connection
Friday, November 30, 2012
Principles of Anthropology
ANTH200 LF
Instructor: Adrienne Kitchin
Overview
The mind – body connection can be seen as a point of balance between one's mind and their body; it is the point at which the mind and the body are at
equilibrium. "There should be a comprehensive approach for both mind and body. This reciprocal relationship maximizes health benefits, and has
exponentially positive consequences beyond the individual." ("Mind–body connection attained," 2012) When one can achieve this connection, they
can then attain true happiness far greater than others; there are disciplines that one can train in in order to achieve ... Show more content on
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The Philosophical Perspective The mind–body connection alludes to the affinity between the mind and body, specifically in matters of health and
well–being. It is founded on the notion that an individual 's thoughts and emotions affect the body, as do social and behavioral factors. "A strong and
healthy body is believed to have a positive effect on the mind, and a positive mind correspondingly allows for a healthy strong body" (Clarke, 2001).
A philosophical perspective of the mind and body affiliation provides added insight into the various schools of thought regarding the ways in which our
minds and our bodies interact. While some 'dualist '–based philosophies suggest that the mind is an entity completely independent of the body and vice
versa, 'monoist ' viewpoints propose that the mind and the body are a part of a single being and thus function as one unit accomplishing different
objectives. One such stance is the philosophical theory of behaviorism, which holds that "being in a mental state is the same as being in a physical
state. In other words, since all that we can know about another person 's state of mind is through their behavior, there is nothing else" (Gatis, 2003).
Thus the way one thinks has a direct impact on the way the body functions. For example, if an individual were to say, "I am

Essay Mind and Mind/body Solution
Androids and the Mind/Body Problem
The Synopsis: Star Trek Episode "The Measure of a Man" deals with the thought that android could have physical and mental properties. In order to
fully understand or evaluate this we have to have a clear understanding of the Mind/Body Problems and solutions. Humans are material objects
consisting of physical and mental properties. Physical properties examples are height, weight, color, shape or size and mental properties are awareness,
consciousness, feeling, thinking, emotions and senses. The problem arises because these properties interact where intentional or unintentional
continuously. Hasker discusses several mind/body solutions such as idealism, materialism, behaviorism, dualism, and ... Show more content on
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That can be defined as having self–awareness. The only question that presents itself with this solution is consciousness.
Hasker's criteria for a being to be sentient include intelligence, self–awareness and consciousness. I feel these are adequate basis to start. Other
properties or characteristics that could be beneficial are morality, and spirituality. God is our identity and creator that leads us. We have a soul which
was created by God that gives us life after death. The Mind/Body Solutions dualist mentions that it is the most influential because it was developed by
Christians. It recognizes God and our soul is involved.
Artificial intelligence at the level presented in the story I do not feel will be possible. Yes I do feel android can be programed to perform a certain
behavior but having a sense of feelings, thoughts, emotions and a soul that comes with being a human. God has ultimately created us with these
characterizes and we are living things.
I do not feel Picard is being irrational because he truly believes Data has rights and he should be allowed to make his decisions regarding his future.
Emotions probably come into play because Data is his co–worker even if Picard is the commanding officer. I strongly feel he is supporting an
employee of his rights.
Given all the evidence presented to JAG I feel they made the right decision. Data presented with thoughts and self–awareness which he could have been
programed to

Androids and the Mind-Body Problem
The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Measure of a Man" makes a compelling argument on androids and the mind/body problem. The
episode is about Lt. Commander Data who is an android who acts identically to human behavior. Data is put on trial to find out if he should have
human rights or if he is considered property of Starfleet. The episode makes interesting points as to what qualifies a person of having a mind and soul.
William Hasker uses multiple categories to list out the different views on the mind/body problem in his book Metaphysics: Constructing a World
View. Captain Picard, Data's commanding officer and the defending attorney for Data's case, would be classified as a materialist. Picard views Data
as having rights just like the rest of the humans who work for Starfleet. In trial Picard says, "We too are machines, just machines of a different type"
(Scheerer, 1989). This statement from Picard alone shows his materialism thinking. Materialism thinking does not believe in souls thus since Data is
manmade he would not have a soul as well making him an equal to human beings. Picard believes since Data is intelligent, self–aware, and has a
consciousness of his existence and actions then this makes Data a sentient.
Commander Bruce Maddox, who believes Data is property of Starfleet and should not have rights, has emergentism thinking. Maddox refers to Data as
an "it" as Data is no different than a computer making him property of Starfleet. He justifies his point

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