Eliminative materialism

Margaret Atherton does however, explore Berkeley’s argument as one in which is stated reasonably and coherently color does exist as a part of objects, or in other words that “snow is actually white”, and that this theory is better than previous philosophical theory. I will give a summary of her arguments before asserting my opinion that Berkeley’s argument far more beneficial to objectivists than to the whole of color theory In the world of color existing, Atherton describes two dichotomous…

A) Gertler’s “In Defense of Mind- Body Dualism” In this essay, I will be defending Brie Gertler in her dualist stance on the mind – body problem. In the paper, Gertler argues that, “it is possible that pain occurs in a disembodied being.” She starts off talking about this argument by giving the example of stubbing ones toe. She then states that even someone who has had both of their feet amputated can still share this toe stubbing experience. She gives example to show a particular instance where…

1.) Distinguish vitalism from materialism and explain the doctrine of specific energies of nerves. Vitalism is a belief that a life force or “vital force” existed that goes beyond the physical and chemical components of living organisms and in some part is self determining. These life energies are transmitted through the nervous system and were believed to be instantaneous. Opposed to vitalism, materialism states that physical reality is the only reality and that living matter can be…

Personhood Eric Olson, E. Jonathan Lowe, and Lynn Rudder Baker each has different accounts for what a person is. In this paper, I will talk about their points of view on personhood and compare and contrast their ideas while talking about my own account on personhood. Olson believes that we are all animal. As a result a person is matter that has mental features. Matter is a physical substance that has mass and occupies space, as distinct from immaterial substance like mind and spirit. Mental…

put forward the following supportive position. The brain and mind of human beings are different from each other. That the brain and mind have distinct roles in human beings. For the first counter argument, I will consider the physical aspect of materialism in regards to the mind and brain. As a response, I will reply, that the human mind and brain are separate, because human beings have free will. In the second opposing argument to dualism, I will present the idealist view that the human mind…

Personal identity refers to certain properties that make a person feel a special sense of attachment or ownership. Both philosophers John Locke and Rene Descartes had contrasting views about one’s working mind. Descartes believes that the mind cannot be identical to the body whereas Locke emphasizes that our bodies and mind are the same thing. Locke’s ideas on personal identity are primarily focused on memory, whereas Descartes is focused on the “thinking mind.” The thinking mind is our way of…

Rene Descartes proposes a variant of substance dualism that maintains the equal and distinct existence of physical and mental substances. Descartes (1641) discusses that bodies are physical substances because they extend outward and occupy spatial regions while the human mind is a mental substance because it cannot extend through space (P.165). Descartes also notes fundamental differences on their activities; the human body is passive because it cannot think while the mind can handle complex…

a “false” life. Instead of living his own life sincerely, Ivan was more concerned about doing what is expected from him by those that he sees as belonging in high social standings and what the elite class thinks is “right”: a life dominated by materialism and disregard for…

Dualism vs Materialism The mind/body problem, the question of what is the relationship between the mind and the body, is commonly seen as a key issue in the philosophy of the mind (Sober, 2013, p. 204). The two categories of views discussed in Sober’s ‘Core Questions in Philosophy’ that attempt to resolve the mind/body problem are dualism and materialism. Dualism is the theory that the mind and the brain are two fundamentally different substances (Sober, 2013, p. 204). Conversely, materialism…

Maxine, the proprietress of the resort where the play takes place, is worldly and sexual, concerned primarily with the financial success of her business and her romantic endeavours; a clear representation of materialism. Maxine’s long-time husband Fred has just passed away, and she is lonely living without someone who belongs to her. No sooner has Maxine offered Shannon the opportunity to permanently live at the resort, Hannah arrives with her grandfather Nonno…