Compare And Contrast Mind And Body Dualism

In a world of science, religion, ignorance and opinion common perception on whether or not the mind is separate from the brain has switched more times than one can track. A dualistic view on the body/mind relationship continues to be scrutinized day in and day out. As I will explain throughout the argument dualism is facing increasingly more constraints as time goes on. An evaluation of the mind/body argument from a Humean perspective proves dualism to be flawed in key aspects, where in contrast a materialistic approach is not affected.

The argument the mind/body dualism interaction has been evolving for thousands of years. Earlier on in history during the era of Socrates and the theory of the Forms the first sign of the demise regarding

As previously stated if dualism is true then you must accept the notion that the mind is separate and independent of the brain. However this restriction causes an awkward reliance between a material object (the brain), and an immaterial being (the mind). Since the brain is necessary for observation, the senses, and perception the mind is now dependent on the brain, and cannot perceive nor react to anything that happens in the physical world without the brains capabilities. I would argue that this reliance on the brain proves that there is no impression of the mind, as the mind would then be required to operate without a pivotal part of it’s functionally. As a consequence the dualist would have to accept one of the two following statements; 1) “There is no impression of the mind that operates independently of the idea of the brain” or 2) “The mind does not exist separate from the brain, therefore the material brain participates in the impression of the mind.” Using Hume’s criticism of the mind you easily see the problem with having the brain (a collection of ideas and physical objects) be part of the impression of the mind that is suppose to be pure and independent of other ideas. On the contrary materialistic view of this scenario present no such problem, as materialists believe that the impression of the mind does not exist, and that the mind is simply the brain. With the argument against a defined impression of the mind, and the confusing nature of the interaction between the brain and the mind, it begs the question; can the mind (the self) exist as a pure impression in multiple places at once, much like the example of the impression of