Should we, as human beings, think of ourselves as made out of two different substances, like Descartes argued? Or are you persuaded by the arguments of physicalism that we are purely physical beings?
If you agree with Descartes, how would you explain the fact that our mental life seems to be very closely connected to a physical organ, namely the brain. If you agree with physicalism, how do you explain the fact that our mental life seems to be like nothing else in the physical world (think of how unique something like consciousness is, for example).
Write your thoughts on these issues.
On the one hand, I believe in Descartes' theory of human beings being made out of two substances, the mind and the body. I started leaning towards this theory when Descartes compared the human body to a machine and the mind is what we really are. He claimed that if we were to have a limb such as our arm or leg cut off, our minds would still function the same way as before. It would not make us incomplete as a person.
On the other hand, I also agreed with the theory of physicalism. With the increased amount of information of how the brain and the human body works, I find it hard not to believe that our minds would not exist without our brains and our brains in turn, controls our senses and perceptions. The identity theory suggests that our mental events are physical events and have physical causes and consequences. The things that happen to us are really just decisions that our brain event makes which sets off other brain events causing a reaction. I believe that the brain is responsible for our every thought and move we make. The case of Phineas Gage is also a reason why I swayed from he theory of dualism. Gage had a long iron rode drive completely through his skull and left frontal lobe. Although he survived the injury, Gage's personality and behavior became totally different to how he was before his accident. This example suggests that the mind was a physical substance if it could be affected by a physical event.
You mention some persuasive points here for physicalism. Next week, we'll look at a position in between these two.
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