Week 5: Brain or Mind?

Should we, as human beings, think of ourselves as made out of two different substances, like Decartes argued? Or are you persuaded by the arguments of physicalism that we are purely physical beings?

   


    

     Descrates took the side of dualism philosophy. He was convinced that despite the connection between the mind and the brain, their properties are different, causing them to be two different things (spiritual and physical). At the time it would seem that Descrates’ thoughts on dualism could be undoubted since neuro and brain imaging had not yet been introduced to the world. Therefore, the experience leading me out the cave, as Plato introduced, would have to lead me into believing physicalism philosophy over dualism. However, I must say that both physicalism and dualism have certain ideas that seem rational to me and makes clever sense when really thought about. The idea Descrates introduced to us about our mind and brain being two different substances is correct. Technically – according to physicists, interactions are a type of force, and Newton’s law of force states that an object has to come into contact or apply the same amount of force back in order for a force to exist, therefore, conflicting with physicalism. So I would take Descrates side on this argument that a mind and a brain are two separate substances. I also agree with physicalism on the notion of Phineas Gage and his accident. This story proves that the brain is connected with our mind but doesn’t necessarialy prove they aren’t different. If we alter the brain, the mind is also altered as the prisoners in the cave. We alter someone’s brain physically (putting them into a cave and calling it reality) and their mind reacts spiritually (unquestioned reality). So once again my argument is with Descrates on the idea that our mind and our brain are two different substances.

No matter how I put it, physicalism and dualism both seem practical to me. If there were a combination of the two, I would certainly follow that road on the philosophical journey. I don’t think there should be a force linking the mind and the brain together, and if there has to be one, we’ve yet to acquire that knowledge.