Question

Schematize an argument with the following conclusion:

Therefore, the interaction problem is solved. (The interaction problem is the problem of explaining how the mind and the body interact.)

Using identioty theory or functionalism.

Answer 1

For many centuries, we have been trying to understand the mind-body relationship in a person. The difficulty behind explaining the relationship between mind-body in a person is that s/he is a dynamic entity. [1] Thus, one is in a continued mode of knowing oneself. There are several thinkers who hold the view that a person is composed of body and mind. At the same time there are also some thinkers who oppose this idea. Now we shall discuss the views of some philosophers.

There are several ancient philosophers like Plato and Aristotle who expressed their views on mind-body relationship in a person. For Plato, human being is composed of body and soul. Body is nothing but a prison house into which his/her soul has been locked. His understanding of person is different from our understanding of human being. [2] For Plato, person belongs to intelligible world and human being belongs to sensible world. Secondly person can be transformed whereas human being cannot be because human being belongs to physical level of being. [3] Thus he says "that a person, the subject of interest, is not a human being but rather a soul, an entity distinct from that of human being." [4] Here we can see a clear-cut distinction of soul and body in Plato's thinking.

Aristotle, on the contrary, saw the mind-body relationship from a completely different angle. He says that a person is "a composite not of body and soul but of prime matter and the human soul which as a substantial form." [5] He does not perceive the distinction between mind and body; instead he makes the distinction between matter and form. Therefore, Aristotle understands body and soul as not of two complete beings in conflict with each other but complimenting each other because matter and form are inseparable in a primary substance.

There are also modern philosophers like Hegel, Immanuel Kant and John Locke who understand the mind-body relationship quite differently. For Hegel, an individual is part of the larger life of the Mind. He says that, "Mind or spirit, passes through dialectical stages of evolution, revealing itself as subjective mind, objective mind and absolute mind. The subjective mind expresses itself as soul, consciousness and spirit." [6] From the above statements it is very clear that he gives importance to mind alone. He has absorbed totally the body into mind; for he says, "It (mind) embodies itself, creates a body for itself, and becomes a particular, individual soul." [7] Therefore what truly exists for him is mind and not body.

However Immanuel Kant speaks about metaphysical dualism rather than substance dualism of the person. He sees person as a Transcendental Self because there is a level of self-awareness that is over and above the categories of normal philosophies. Human being is alone a rational being who has a will and a free choice of action. So Kant postulates person as a transcendental free being, an idea that the inner self is not bound by the laws of nature. [8] However, John Locke, being a modern philosopher understands human person as that of ancient philosophers. For him mind is the real person and body is only a possession. [9] He separates mind from body and shows that body is only a material reality. He says that, "Every man has a property in his own person. This no Body has any Right to but himself." [10] For him mind is the real person and in the real person the body aspect is integrated totally into it. [11]

The philosophers have changed their focus in the recent years. They give more stress on the purpose of human life. They ask; what does it mean to be a human person? However, with the growing interest in neuroscience, the ontological question bounced back with new a quest. One of the forerunners and pioneers of this movement is Philip Clayton who brought back the same question with a new focus. Now we shall discus the extreme positions of mind-body relationship and their solutions.