The Mind-Body Problem

A prominent and philosophical question inquired by many in the cognitive science field is directed in the form of the Mind-Body Problem. The Mind-Body Problem is a concise term which leads way to the many explanations in regards to how the body and the mind correlate to one another (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2012, p.24). All of these explanations base themselves on the physical and psychological natures of the body and the mind, in order to better understand the link amongst the two (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2012, p.24). Each and every explanation strives to prove the co-existence and interactions of both components in ways which may prove if either one is truly materialized, or if one is in any authority over the other (Friedenberg & Silverman,

Famous Greek philosopher Plato was strongly encouraged that although the mind and body both exist, but they do so in their own distinctive domains (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2012, p.25). He had thought that the mind is something that is unattainable through the human touch, and so therefore it will linger on forevermore as in immortality (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2012, p.25). On the other hand, Plato thought the body to be a physical materialization which will eventually deteriorate with the passing of time (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2012, p.25). Classical Dualism is a subcategory of dualism, where the focus lies on the mind having authoritative power over the body. This idea is credited to the renowned French philosopher René Descartes who thought the pineal gland controlled all aspects of the body, due to its unique nature, as it is in the center and also one of few arrangements in the brain which are not duplicated (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2012, p.28). Another subcategory, Property Dualism, encourages the idea that physical materialization of the body [the brain] is responsible for the projections of the mental mind [thoughts and desires] (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2012, p.30). In Property Dualism, it is believed that both the mind and the body are in a symbiotic relationship of support where one could not thrive without the other (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2012, p.30). Dualism is

In functionalism, it is heavily argued that it is possible for artificial intelligence to ultimately develop a consciousness over time as stated by its belief: a mind will come eventually from the formation of a body (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2012, p.34). Functionalism could be categorized into two different subcategories. The first one, Physical kinds, focuses its interests on the materialization of the different physical substances (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2012, p.33). In this subdivision, one would observe the variations in each organism or thing’s physical structure and how they all compare and contrast amongst one another. The second subdivision, Functional kinds, examines the deviations in roles taken by each organism or thing to better segregate or group their qualities via their inclinations (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2012, p.33). Functionalism is the most dominant theory of all three fractions so hence it is also the most discussed about one as