(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Proof of Dualism

             Metaphysicians have been concerned with the mind-body problem even since Plato introduced the idea of dualism thousands of years ago. However it did not really become a major issue of argument until the seventeenth century when French philosopher Rene Descartes published his views concerning the mental and physical world. Basically he attempted to answer the questions, "How are the mind and body related?" and "What is their fundamental nature?" He concluded that though the distinct worlds of physical and mental events seem varying in many ways, experience in general indicates they are somehow linked or interrelated (Priest 44). Bothered by Descartes" claim that something of the material world can affect that of the immaterial world and vice-versa, many metaphysicians constructed their own theories - and still do - concerning the nature of mind and body and the apparent relationships between them. This paper is thus dedicated to listing some of the most frequently accepted of these digressing theories and in turn to refuting their arguments as unsuccessful attempts to discredit the theory of dualism.
             The broadest and most opposed argument to dualism is the Materialistic theory. Materialists suspect the problem with Descartes" Cartesian theory lie in his premise that the mind and body are separate entities from one another. They instead declare that the mind and body in fact are really one and the same type of substance and that this substance is completely material (Popkin 105). Both physical and mental events could thus be explained using pure physical principals and laws. Such a theory resolves the problem of the interrelations between mind and body, introduced because of the accepted idea that material only affects material. This theory became greatly advanced during the time of Descartes by Thomas Hobbes whose argument goes as follows:.
             Premise 1: Physical motion in the material world can only produce further .


Essays Related to Proof of Dualism

1. Implausibility Of Gennaro

Implausibility of Gennaro's 1st Objection to the argument of Dualism Gennaro makes a few major mistakes in an argument set forth in his book. This argument is supposed to somehow show an objection that dualism cannot exist according to Rene Descates" argument for Dualism based on introspection. ... This argument seems rather straight forward proof of the invalidity of knowledge statements as a violation of Leiviz's Law. However, there are a few problems with this proof. ...

  • Word Count: 763
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Gibert Ryle and Rene Descartes' Dualism

What then is dualism? DUALISM Dualism in metaphysics is the belief that there are two kinds of reality; material (physical) and immaterial (spiritual). ... Dualism is of two types; property and substance dualism. ... Descartes' dualism which also known as Cartesian dualism will be examined consequently. ... Since doubting is already a proof of his rational nature thus to think is to exist. ...

  • Word Count: 4771
  • Approx Pages: 19
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

3. United States v. Fordice

The District Court, the Court of Appeals, and respondents recognize that the state of Mississippi had the constitutional duty to stop the dual system and the laws that were mandated. The court does not agree with the adoption of race neutral policies and that the decision will do to demonstrate that the state has abandoned the prior dual system. ... First off, the court seemed to impose the burden of proof on the plaintiffs to meet a standard that the court didn't set yet. ...

  • Word Count: 440
  • Approx Pages: 2

4. Duality of Human Nature

Henry Jekyll is a physician in London, who is very well respected, and is currently experimenting with the dual nature of man kind. ... Lanyon's narrative voice to give the reader another doctor's view on the dual nature of man. ... "The great advocate of material causes is witness to undeniable proof of the reality of the metaphysical, a physically impossible phenomenon" (Nabokov 3457). ...

  • Word Count: 2799
  • Approx Pages: 11
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Descartes

This idea is a major component in Descartes" proof of the external world. ... Since however, he has called upon anything to be false that provokes any doubt he does not believe this explanation to be enough for the proof of the external world. ... It is after his proof of the existence of God that Descartes comes to accept that clear and distinct ideas can be trusted. ... This is the essence of Decartes" philosophy of dualism. ...

  • Word Count: 781
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

6. reduction in cost of the hare

Introduction: This PILOT project is designed to be a proof of concept for "Triple Acceleration." ... In addition, two Dual Port RAM Cores, generated by Xilinx's CoreGen software were needed for the design. ... i + 1 Design Requirements And IP cores Described: Dual Port RAM Dual Port Ram modules were needed as the Pilchard's FPGA operates on slower internal clock speed. ... The counter was designed with dual mode controller. ...

  • Word Count: 1601
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Philosophy

Dualism is a philosophical position that can be exemplified by: 1. ... Descartes mind/matter distinction Dualism has been the catalyst of the mind-body problem as well as the majority view until recently. ... Although I have no physical proof that God exists, I do hold this to be true. ... The life cycle in itself is proof enough for me to believe in God. ...

  • Word Count: 1101
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Materialism

The burden of proof lies on the shoulders of those materialists who wish to account for freedom within an entirely materialist framework."" ... Dualism is the belief that there are two ontological categories. Dualism states that you must have both of the components in questions, rather than one or the other. Thomas Hyde coined the concept of dualism in the beginning of the eighteenth century. ... At one point Descartes cannot accept his own dualism. ...

  • Word Count: 1640
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. The Metaphysics of Plato's Socrates.

The view satisfies the two criteria historians of thought lay down for any genuine dualism: first, most of the time there are two members involved, each of them being viewed as a reality capable of existing on its own; and, second, those members, even when joined to each other, remain opposed to each other. ... But further questioning makes it clear that the conclusion of the proof is this: the soul must have existed before its present embodied life. ...

  • Word Count: 527
  • Approx Pages: 2

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question