In this paper, I will define and describe the mind body problem, defend the position of property dualism, support my claim through the problem of personal identity and the problem of interaction, and provide one refute using epiphenomenalism. The mind-body problem the question of how our consciousness is created through the interaction of mental and brain states. The best way to describe the interaction between mental and brain states is through property dualism. A supporting argument for property dualism is through the problem of personal identity. Through the problem of interacting, property dualism is further strengthened as an accurate way to describe the mind-body problem. An argument against property dualism is the argument of epiphenomenalism.
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This belief the mind and the brain are related to each other as two distinct sorts of properties. The mind is believed to emerges from the brain but it is not dependent upon it. One could visualize this ideology as the brain as a snow cloud and the mind the unique, independent snowflakes that fall from it. The mind is seen as something spiritual and the body is physical. Since the mind comes from the brain; the brain contains both physical and spiritual properties (Mohn, 2017). Though the brain states can be studied and explained through science; mental states are unexplainable and there are not able to be scientifically examined. However, this means that when the brain (body) dies then so does the mind since it is derived through the brain (Mohn, 2017). Within property dualist, there is epiphenomenalism which believes that the physical world influences our mental states but out mental states cannot influence our brain states. Or there is interactionism where one believes that mental states such as our desires provide guidance to our brain states (Mohn, …show more content…
Epiphenomenalism is the view that mental states are caused by brain states but those mental states have no effect towards anything physical. In other words, it is where things such as your emotions, feelings, and desires are only created by neural impulses (Robinson, 2015). This means that anything that effects physical states, therefore has to be physical itself. Anything besides that would be a violation to natural law so is then considered impossible. There is no way to prove that anything besides brain states create our behavior (Robinson,
This belief the mind and the brain are related to each other as two distinct sorts of properties. The mind is believed to emerges from the brain but it is not dependent upon it. One could visualize this ideology as the brain as a snow cloud and the mind the unique, independent snowflakes that fall from it. The mind is seen as something spiritual and the body is physical. Since the mind comes from the brain; the brain contains both physical and spiritual properties (Mohn, 2017). Though the brain states can be studied and explained through science; mental states are unexplainable and there are not able to be scientifically examined. However, this means that when the brain (body) dies then so does the mind since it is derived through the brain (Mohn, 2017). Within property dualist, there is epiphenomenalism which believes that the physical world influences our mental states but out mental states cannot influence our brain states. Or there is interactionism where one believes that mental states such as our desires provide guidance to our brain states (Mohn, …show more content…
Epiphenomenalism is the view that mental states are caused by brain states but those mental states have no effect towards anything physical. In other words, it is where things such as your emotions, feelings, and desires are only created by neural impulses (Robinson, 2015). This means that anything that effects physical states, therefore has to be physical itself. Anything besides that would be a violation to natural law so is then considered impossible. There is no way to prove that anything besides brain states create our behavior (Robinson,