Philosophy of Self, death and Afterlife Flashcards
(25 cards)
Qualia
the qualities of a conscious experience
For example: what is feels like to experience a colour or smell
Monism
all reality is made up of one sort of substance, mental or physical
materialism
all reality is made up of a physical substance
this rejects the idea of a operate soul from the body
Substance dualism
Descartes
the belief that the body and soul a qualitatively distinct. they are completely different but somehow interact
What is monism?
The belief that all of reality is made of one kind of substance, either mental or physical.
What is materialism?
The theory that reality consists only of physical substance; it rejects the idea of a soul separate from the body.
What is mentalism?
The belief that all of reality can be explained in terms of mental reality.
What is substance dualism?
Descartes
The belief that mind/soul and body are qualitatively distinct substances that somehow interact.
3 ways
What is dual aspect monism?
The belief that the mind and body are two aspects of the same substance.
How does Descartes explain the mind-body relationship?
He believed the mind and body are separate substances that interact (substance dualism).
How does Dennett explain the mind?
He argued the mind is like a program running on the brain; it exists as long as the brain processes information.
How does dual aspect monism view death?
The mind is a property of matter, and God remembers you because you’re part of his mind.
What is interactionism in dualism?
The problem of explaining how an immaterial soul can affect a physical body without violating physical laws.
What is the key problem with substance dualism?
It assumes the existence of an invisible, immaterial soul and can’t explain how mind and body interact.
Why is property dualism often associated with atheism?
Because it denies a separate, immortal soul and claims both body and mind die together.
What does materialism say about human identity?
That humans are entirely physical and there is no soul—only the body and brain.
What was Descartes’ “Doubt” argument?
You can doubt having a body but not having a mind—”I think, therefore I am” (Cogito ergo sum).
What was Descartes’ “Divisibility” argument?
The body can be divided into parts, but the mind cannot, suggesting they are different substances.
What was Descartes’ “Clear and Distinct Perception” argument?
If we can clearly conceive mind and body as separate, they must be; God wouldn’t let us be confused.
What is functionalism?
The view that mental states are defined by their functions in response to stimuli, not by what they are made of.
How did Gilbert Ryle critique dualism?
He called the mind “a ghost in the machine,” arguing it’s a mistake to treat mind as separate from body.
What is the problem of qualia for functionalism?
It can’t explain subjective experiences like what it feels like to see red, despite full physical knowledge.
What does the case of Phineas Gage suggest about mind and body?
Physical brain changes can alter personality, showing close mind-body dependence.
What is multi-realisability?
The idea that any sufficiently complex system (like a computer) could be a mind, not just human brains.
