Body and Mind: The Same and Different Thought. Consciousness. Knowledge. All aspects of the human mind that remain one of the greatest phenomenon, both philosophically and scientifically. Many have postulated its complexity and whether its relationship with the physical world is spiritual or mechanical, but even in the 21st century, questions remain. Somehow, our mind has developed into this complex system that, through electrical impulses, is able to manipulate the physical world. Some believe, such as René Descartes, that the mind and body are two distinct entities that can exist without the other. Others, however, would consider this a categorical mistake, suggesting that we are a set of dispositions which belong grouped together when being
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More specifically, Gilbert Ryle would argue that Descartes is making a categorical mistake. Coined by Ryle, a categorical mistake can be a difficult concept to grasp. It is commonly considered as when we “fail to recognize an entity is a logical construction” (108). For example, say you are showing your parents around the new town you just moved to, Philosophy Town. You take them on a tour of main street, the park, and the school grounds. At the end of the day, however, you father says, “That was nice today, but when are we going to see Philosophy Town?” Asking to see Philosophy Town is the categorical mistake being made. Philosophy Town is not its own entity. It is not some singular building or object that you can drive to and see. Instead, Philosophy Town are the many buildings and constructions, that when thought of together, characterize this logical construction. In terms of mind and body, Ryle believes that you cannot look at them as distinct objects. It is suggested, “The expression ‘the mind’ really refers to a set of behaviors and dispositions to behavior” (Green 108). The key word here is dispositions, which is the basis for behaviorism, a competitor to dualism. This view holds that the mind is a set of multitrack dispositions to behavior. Essentially, when we think of someone, we don’t have a singular thought that we recall. Instead, we see the many …show more content…
Many have postulated its complexity, questioning whether it is the same or two distinct entities. René Descartes believes, through the use of the Body-Detachment Argument and introspection, that if we can envision the mind without the body, then they must be separate. Gilbert Ryle, however, thinks otherwise questioning Descartes’ beliefs and considering them a categorical mistake; where something singular cannot define the whole. The only man who suggests we look at the process of thought and its origin is David Armstrong. Scientific and medical research has backed much of this belief and shows strong evidence for the origin of consciousness. With help from functionalism, this becomes the most appropriate means of defining the mind and the
More specifically, Gilbert Ryle would argue that Descartes is making a categorical mistake. Coined by Ryle, a categorical mistake can be a difficult concept to grasp. It is commonly considered as when we “fail to recognize an entity is a logical construction” (108). For example, say you are showing your parents around the new town you just moved to, Philosophy Town. You take them on a tour of main street, the park, and the school grounds. At the end of the day, however, you father says, “That was nice today, but when are we going to see Philosophy Town?” Asking to see Philosophy Town is the categorical mistake being made. Philosophy Town is not its own entity. It is not some singular building or object that you can drive to and see. Instead, Philosophy Town are the many buildings and constructions, that when thought of together, characterize this logical construction. In terms of mind and body, Ryle believes that you cannot look at them as distinct objects. It is suggested, “The expression ‘the mind’ really refers to a set of behaviors and dispositions to behavior” (Green 108). The key word here is dispositions, which is the basis for behaviorism, a competitor to dualism. This view holds that the mind is a set of multitrack dispositions to behavior. Essentially, when we think of someone, we don’t have a singular thought that we recall. Instead, we see the many …show more content…
Many have postulated its complexity, questioning whether it is the same or two distinct entities. René Descartes believes, through the use of the Body-Detachment Argument and introspection, that if we can envision the mind without the body, then they must be separate. Gilbert Ryle, however, thinks otherwise questioning Descartes’ beliefs and considering them a categorical mistake; where something singular cannot define the whole. The only man who suggests we look at the process of thought and its origin is David Armstrong. Scientific and medical research has backed much of this belief and shows strong evidence for the origin of consciousness. With help from functionalism, this becomes the most appropriate means of defining the mind and the