Cartesian Dualism Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is the central claim of Cartesian Dualism?

Minds and bodies are substances of distinct kinds which happen to be intimately related.

Cartesian dualism states that the mind and body could, in principle, exist independently.

True

What does Descartes state about the body?

Materialist and an extended object.

How does Descartes describe the self?

Distinct from the body and immaterial. Signup and view all the answers

What does Descartes say about self-knowledge?

Descartes states that we are acquainted with our mental states at any given moment. Signup and view all the answers

What is Descartes' conceivability argument?

P1. I can clearly and distinctly conceive of my mind existing without my body. P2. What I can clearly and distinctly conceive of is logically possible (by God's work). P3. If it is logically possible for x and y to exist apart from one another, then x and y really are distinct. Therefore: My mind is not identical with my body (or with any body). Signup and view all the answers

What is the causal problem for dualism?

The causal problem of dualism concerns how the mind and body interact if they are two different substances. Signup and view all the answers

How does Descartes respond to the causal problem of dualism?

Firstly, he states that the causations are not the type we would encounter in the material world. Secondly, he later identifies the pineal gland as the principal seat of the soul. Signup and view all the answers

What is Kim's objection to dualism?

Kim's Causal Pairing Problem is the inability to explain causal pairing and what prevents one mind from connecting to another identical body. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Central Claims of Cartesian Dualism

Central claim posits that minds and bodies are fundamentally different substances, yet closely interact.
Mind and body can theoretically exist independently of each other.

Descartes' Views on Body and Self

Body characterized as material and extended, meaning it occupies space and is tangible.
Self is defined as distinct from the body and is immaterial, representing consciousness and thought.

Self-Knowledge

Descartes argues that individuals possess immediate awareness of their own mental states in any moment.

Conceivability Argument

Claims that one can clearly and distinctly imagine the mind existing without the body, indicating a logical possibility.
If two substances (mind and body) can logically exist separately, they are distinct entities; hence, the mind is not identical to the body.

Causal Problem for Dualism

Identified as a challenge by Princess Elisabeth; centers around the interaction of mind and body as separate substances.
The mind does not have spatial extension, complicating the notion of causation between the two.

Descartes' Responses to Causal Problem

Initially, Descartes argues that mental causation differs from physical causation typically observed in the material realm.
Later identifies the pineal gland as the location through which the soul interacts with the body.

Kim's Causal Pairing Problem

Kim highlights a challenge for dualism: inability to explain how causation works between distinct substances.
Questions arise about how one mind might influence or control another body's actions, posing difficulties for the dualistic framework.

Description

Explore key concepts of Cartesian Dualism with these flashcards. Each card presents crucial definitions and claims from Descartes, focusing on the distinction between mind and body. Ideal for students looking to understand this philosophical doctrine.