The body and mind dilemma has been of great interest by many since the first
philosophers began theorizing about their relationship and interconnectedness. There
remain two prominent, yet opposing claims. The first is the assertion that the body
provides “special and ineliminable contributions” to one’s understanding and cognitive
processes (Clark, 2006, pp. 4). The other claims a viewpoint of extended functionalism
which views physical behaviours as a method of processing information and environmental
structures as a method of storing the information (Clark, 2006, pp. 14-15). These claims
are in opposition of each other as the first requires the body of a species in order to
perceive the world as that species does whereas the second places emphasis on the role of
external structures to shape understanding and perception, therefore, does not require the
specific body. Many researchers have documented their experiences and work completed
with various animals to support one of the previous claims. Through use of the previous
streams of thought, an analysis of the embodied and embedded mind portrayed in the 2009
film, Avatar, will be completed to address Jake Sully’s transition from being a paraplegic
human to inhabiting a Na’vi body and experiencing the world through the eyes of a Na’vi
group member.
Philosophy professor, Andy Clark studies and analyzes the two competing strains
of thought in his 2006 article, “Pressing the flesh: A tension in the study of the embodied,
embedded mind?” in which he concisely describes the tension that exists between them.
The first claim, referred to as the “Larger Mechanism Story” (LMS) supports the idea of the
mind and body being able to exist without the pre...
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...ne cannot truly understand or experience another
species’ reality without having similar bodies by which the world is experienced and
perceived. However, one does not need to experience the exact, true reality of another to
empathize, build relationships, and share a mutual understanding with them. It is due to
Clark’s assertion on the mind/body relationship that allows Cameron’s character, Jake Sully
to inhabit the body of the Na’vi and control its actions using his human embodied mind.
The strength of the mind/body relationship is displayed when Sully begins to adopt the
consciousness and mind of the Na’vi after prolonged exposure in the Na’vi body and
community. This supports Clark’s claim that aspects of the body contribute both
functionally and computationally but also that they influence the subjective conscious
experience of the individual.
The body and the spirit are connected through the entity of emotions and feelings, which are formed through experiences, understanding, and knowledge about the world. As Australian poet Gwen Harwood’s poem’s “Triste Triste and “Alter Ego” seeks to find and reconnect an individual’s inner-self again through both the body and spirit, Kenneth Slessor’s poems “Sleep” and “ ” explores how the separation of the body and spirit can be seen as a positive component towards the core experiences of human life. As each of the poems captivates a sense of intertwinement within the body and mind, the poems seem to reflect and mirror one another, drawing upon similar experiences and emotions which are conveyed through the persona’s journey.
Beilock, Sian. How the Body Knows Its Mind. New York, NY: Atria Books, 2015. Print. (152-158)
In many works of literature, authors often have a point they are trying to convey. This may be something about religion or politics, for example. In From Walden by Henry David Thoreau and Against Nature by Joyce Carol Oates, both authors are trying to make different claims regarding the topic of nature. Thoreau’s piece speaks more positively of nature whereas Oates’ piece contradicts the romantic views some writers have about nature. In making their claims, both authors utilize different structures to convey clear messages to the reader.
Taylor, Richard. "The Mind as a Function of the Body." Exploring Philosophy. 4th ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2012. 131-138. Print.
Toates, F. (2010) ‘Brains, bodies, behaviour and minds’ in SDK228 The science of the mind: investigating mental health, Book 1, Core concepts in mental health, Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp. 29-90.
subject’s action. Many works of his time period were sculptures that were meant to be
Goodman, Berney (1994). When the body speaks its mind. New York: G.P Putnam's sons Publishing.
Each organism is a Teleological Center of Life (TCL) with a good of its own.
substances – the mind and the body. Today this idea is taken for granted, so it is difficult to
Thus it enables a state of being that is in the moment (it is present). The aesthetical (in terms of material aspects) of the body are also something that is a definite variable. When the body undergoes ‘embodiment’ it is the process of the locus, culture, traditions, biological traits of the body (sex, race) that plays a role in the construction of this experience (which happens on a daily basis) and at the same time simultaneously confines it (2009:3). ‘Embodiment’ is forever shifting and growing; as one’s experiences are continuously happening and thus making it a highly subjective experience as well (2009: 4). This process then allows the body to become something that is more than just a biological construct; it allows the body to become something that is able to express itself unto other beings in both words (the patterns developed when one is speaking and the language styles that one has been influenced to use) and non-verbal communication (the shape and form the body takes when moving in space or even sitting or standing still in a space drawn from experienced emotions and the person’s historical, social and political background). Therefore it is suggested that ‘embodiment’ is something that is a network of interlinked signs showing past experiences and continuously reshaping and forming to show new signs based on new experience (Thapan 2009:
(H)Humans and nature are often conflicting. (CI) This idea is prevalent in Called Out by Barbara Kingsolver, in My Life as a Bat by Margaret Atwood, and Sea Star by Barbara Hurd. (G1) Humans have a need for answers, unlike nature. (G2) Humans and nature have different needs. (G3) And lastly, humans and nature worry about varying things. (TH) Nature and humans are conflicting because humans are concerned with reasoning, humans and nature have different values, and they carry different burdens.
The relationship of the human soul and physical body is a topic that has mystified philosophers, scholars, scientists, and mankind as a whole for centuries. Human beings, who are always concerned about their place as individuals in this world, have attempted to determine the precise nature or state of the physical form. They are concerned for their well-being in this earthly environment, as well as their spiritual well-being; and most have been perturbed by the suggestion that they cannot escape the wrongs they have committed while in their physical bodies.
While the great philosophical distinction between mind and body in western thought can be traced to the Greeks, it is to the influential work of René Descartes, French mathematician, philosopher, and physiologist, that we owe the first systematic account of the mind/body relationship. As the 19th century progressed, the problem of the relationship of mind to brain became ever more pressing.
Since Descartes many philosophers have discussed the problem of interaction between the mind and body. Philosophers have given rise to a variety of different answers to this question all with their own merits and flaws. These answers vary quite a lot. There is the idea of total separation between mind and body, championed by Descartes, which has come to be known as “Cartesian Dualism”. This, of course, gave rise to one of the many major responses to the mind-body problem which is the exact opposite of dualism; monism. Monism is the idea that mind and body one and the same thing and therefore have no need for interaction. Another major response to the problem is that given by Leibniz, more commonly known as pre-ordained harmony or monadology. Pre-ordained harmony simply states that everything that happens, happens because God ordained it to. Given the wide array of responses to the mind-body problem I will only cover those given by Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz. I will also strive to show how each of these philosophers discuss what mind and body are and how each accounts for God’s influence on the interaction of mind and body, as this is an interesting distinction between them, as well as the important question of the role of substance. This is important, I believe, because it helps to understand the dialogue between the three philosophers.
Throughout our healthy brains, healthy bodies course so far, we have learned time and time again about the strong and important relationship between our brains and our bodies. Health and wellness is not one single thing, it is a collection of practices, attitudes and ways of being in the world, which help us cultivate the best form of ourselves. Finding and understanding the ways in which we can best take care of ourselves, and then applying them, gives us the opportunity to improve our physical, cognitive, mental and emotional wellbeing. Embodying our healthiest selves helps not only us, it helps those around us by providing a positive example about how to exist within our own bodies, and exist within the world. Throughout this paper, we will