PHILOSOPHY

The Mind-Body problem: DISCUSSION BOAR

Paula has been going out these past months with Paul and fallen in love with him. He seems to be a wonderful fellow: funny, works diligently, knows a lot, and is emotionally and physically affectionate… all the good stuff. There’s only one problem: Mark is a robot. When he told this to Paula – told her he looks like a physical human being and all, but he has no consciousness, no sense of self the way humans do, she was at first horrified. But then Paula decided: What difference does it make?  He seems to do everything a human being does—and a good one at that -- so what’s the difference? And sure, he’s programmed—but aren’t humans?

Could there be beings—zombies or robots—that have all the traits and physical components of humans but do not have consciousness? What then brings about consciousness?

Indeed, if humans have minds, are these minds the same thing as a brain? And if minds- (thoughts, spirit souls) —are not identical with bodies, how can they effect bodies and vice versa? How does drinking lots of alcohol, for example- a physical/chemical cause have an effect in the nonphysical mind?

  With which view  do you sympathize -- Cartesian Dualism (the body and mind are separate substances that somehow – ah, but how--  interact) ? Physicalism/ Materialism (it’s all body?)  Idealism (it's all  mind)? 

Cartesian dualism- PHILOSOPHY i want the answer to focus on this term ( yes I believe if there is connection, anything is possible

a theory or system of thought that regards a domain of reality in terms of two independent principles, especially mind and matter ( Cartesian dualism ).

noun: Cartesian dualism