1-01 The Mind-Brain Relationship

Front 1

Objective

Compare the four types of biological explanations of behavior.

Back 1

There are four levels of biological explanation of behavior.

1. Physiological Level: Relates behavior to the activity of the brain and other organs.
For instance, if we are studying the subject of music perception, the physiological approach would look at the brain structures that are activated when an individual listens to music.

2. Ontogenetic Level: Describes the development of a structure or behavior.
With respect to music perception, we would look at the pattern of development in children. As it turns out, there is evidence for music perception as early as 4-6 months of age.

3. Evolutionary Level: Reconstructs the evolutionary history of a structure or function.
Taking this approach, we might compare music perception in humans to that in other species, such as primates.

4. Functional Level: Seeks to answer the question of why a structure or behavior evolved as it is.

We might ask, for example, why music perception exists. Presumably, it must be adaptive. But how?

Front 2

Objective

Discuss the four biological explanations of birdsong.

Back 2

We can explain a behavior like birdsong in the following ways:

1. Physiological: The brain area that is linked to birdsong is larger in breeding males than in females and it grows under the influence of testosterone.

2. Ontogenetic: Young males learn to sing from older males. The development of birdsong requires both the genes that prepare young males to learn these songs and the opportunity to hear the songs at a sensitive period in their development.

3. Evolutionary: Birds that have similar songs may have evolved from a single ancestor.

4. Functional: The function of birdsong seems to be to attract females and to warn away other males. Male birds sing just loudly enough to be heard in the territory that they can defend.

Front 3

Objective

Identify an objection to dualism.

Back 3

The biggest objection to dualism is that the mechanism of interaction of mind and matter is unclear. If a mind is not made up of matter or energy, then how would it be able to make anything happen?

Front 4

Objective

Describe three forms of monism.

Back 4

1. Materialism: According to this viewpoint, everything that exists is material, which would mean that mental phenomenal are a product—or perhaps even just a by-product—of physiological processes taking place in the nervous system.

2. Mentalism: This is the position that only the mind really exists, and that the material universe is ultimately a product of the mind. The ultimate form of mentalism is solipsism, which assumes that “I alone exist” or “I alone am conscious.”

3. The Identity Position: Philosophers who adhere to this position claim that mental and material phenomena are essentially the same. They are simply two aspects of the same “stuff.” From the subjective viewpoint, this “stuff” seems to be mental, and from the objective perspective, it appears material.

Front 5

Objective

Distinguish between Chalmers’ “easy problem” and “hard problem.”

Back 5

The “easy problem,” according to David Chalmers, has to do with the observation and description of the phenomena associated with consciousness, such as attention and wakefulness. The “hard problem” has to do with the relationship between consciousness and brain activity (i.e., how brain events give rise to consciousness).

Front 6

Dualism

Back 6

The philosophical position put forth by Rene Descartes that mind and matter are separate and independent levels of reality

Front 7

Monism

Back 7

The philosophical position that there is only one kind of substance in the universe, whether that substance be mental or material

Front 8

Soliosism

Back 8

The philosophical position that “I alone exist” or “I alone am conscious”