Mind Body Problem

Philosophy of Mind studies the minds functions, properties, consciousness, and how the body relates to the mind. One of the main arguments taking place in these studies is the mind-body problem. To understand this, a definition of the mind in relation to the brain, and consciousness is needed. So, the mind is where thoughts, ideas, and consciousness is found. Now consciousness is the ability to be aware of one 's internal self and the environment. Thus, the mind-body problem is the issue of how the mind and the body are connected. This problem is argued and looked at from many different views, and within that dualism was born. Dualism is the idea that the mind and body can be found independent of one another, or that the mind and body could

Those substances are either mental or physical. In particular, for the mind, this view is applied by saying the physical brain, the organ that resides inside our head, is separate from the mind, where thoughts and ideas come from. I think the best way to get a feel for this view is to ask one 's self where consciousness is located? It is a question that has repeatedly come up, and according to this view, it comes from outside the brain in some place. In Descartes Second Meditation (p.6), the wax argument is brought up. In this argument, Descartes describes what happens when the wax melts. He knows it changes using the body 's senses and goes on to contrast a few properties of the wax such as being solid going to liquid, changing smell, and changing color. Now, Descartes then wonders how he is still able to know that the wax is the same wax from the beginning after all the changes. This shows substance dualism because it shows how the body takes in the information of the experience of wax changing and still knowing it is the same wax from the beginning through the minds perception of it. The body just takes in the information. The mind knows things about the wax. In Descartes sixth meditation (p.32), he brings up his argument that the body is clearly divisible into parts, but the mind cannot be divided in the same way. The support for this argument comes from him

Premise 2: Upon Mary 's release she has a new experience of the world resulting in her gaining knowledge. Premise 3: Mary does not know all the physical facts of the world. Conclusion: Therefore, not every physical fact is known, making properties not all physical as well. This is important because it shows physicalism to be false. Physicalism is the idea that the world is made of only physical properties. Property dualism rejects physicalism. So, this is an argument is important to property dualism because Jackson 's thought experiment shows that there are both mental and physical properties. Now another reading covered was Chalmer 's philosophical zombies. Those zombies are described to be exact replicas of normal humans but lack qualia. The argument from this is as follows Zombie powerpoint (slide 2): Premise 1: It is conceivable that there be zombies. Premise 2: If so, then it is possible that there be zombies. Premise 3: If so, then consciousness is not physical. Conclusion: Thus, consciousness is not