Substance dualism is a philosophical position that claims that two kinds of substances constitute reality: mental substances (for example, minds) and physical substances (for example, tables). Philosophers use the word “substance” to denote a fundamental aspect of reality that cannot be broken down further. In other words, substance dualism claims there are two fundamental aspects of reality that are irreducible. Philosophers have argued for the truth of substance dualism in several ways. One type of argument claims that there is a gap between understanding the mind and the brain; these are called explanatory gap arguments. Explanatory gap arguments have three features. First, they start by identifying a property of mind that has yet to be
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Opponents of explanatory gap arguments claim that although it is difficult to currently explain the mind in terms of physical substances, there will be some future date in which we will have such an explanation. Opponents cite past mysteries that were later given a scientific explanation and argue that the mind will soon yield to scientific explanation as well. One example of this is to be found in the past postulation of a substance called élan vital. In the past, the possession of élan vital was thought to distinguish the living from the non-living. Eventually, our scientific understanding of the body grew, and we discovered a physical explanation of life without any mention of élan vital. Critics of the explanatory gap argue that eventually our scientific understanding of the brain will grow, and we will no longer have to postulate the existence of a …show more content…
These types of arguments for substance dualism are called Leibniz law arguments. By itself, Leibniz’s law is a principle of logic. The law states that if two things, “X” and “Y,” are identical, then they have all properties in common. Now we apply Leibniz’s law to the mind and the body. Leibniz’s law informs us that bodies and minds are the same thing if and only if they share all properties in common. If there is any property that is not shared by both, then we can conclude that the mind and body are two separate things. One sort Leibniz’s law arguments focus on how the mind and the body are known. The mind has the property of being known with certainty; we cannot doubt that our minds exist because having a mind is requisite for doubt. On the other hand, physical bodies are made known through our senses. It is possible that our senses can be deceived, thus, bodies do not have the property of being known with certainty. Minds and bodies do not share all properties in common. Therefore, minds are not identical with
Opponents of explanatory gap arguments claim that although it is difficult to currently explain the mind in terms of physical substances, there will be some future date in which we will have such an explanation. Opponents cite past mysteries that were later given a scientific explanation and argue that the mind will soon yield to scientific explanation as well. One example of this is to be found in the past postulation of a substance called élan vital. In the past, the possession of élan vital was thought to distinguish the living from the non-living. Eventually, our scientific understanding of the body grew, and we discovered a physical explanation of life without any mention of élan vital. Critics of the explanatory gap argue that eventually our scientific understanding of the brain will grow, and we will no longer have to postulate the existence of a …show more content…
These types of arguments for substance dualism are called Leibniz law arguments. By itself, Leibniz’s law is a principle of logic. The law states that if two things, “X” and “Y,” are identical, then they have all properties in common. Now we apply Leibniz’s law to the mind and the body. Leibniz’s law informs us that bodies and minds are the same thing if and only if they share all properties in common. If there is any property that is not shared by both, then we can conclude that the mind and body are two separate things. One sort Leibniz’s law arguments focus on how the mind and the body are known. The mind has the property of being known with certainty; we cannot doubt that our minds exist because having a mind is requisite for doubt. On the other hand, physical bodies are made known through our senses. It is possible that our senses can be deceived, thus, bodies do not have the property of being known with certainty. Minds and bodies do not share all properties in common. Therefore, minds are not identical with