Philosophy: Monism vs. Dualism

Monism vs. Dualism

• Monism is a philosophical concept that reduces all beings and phenomena in the universe to a single idea or substance, opposing pluralism.
• Dualism, on the other hand, affirms the existence of two substances, material and immaterial, which interact with each other.

Historical Background

• Monism was the initial stance of philosophy, with early philosophers like Thales of Miletus, who believed that everything comes from water.
• Later, philosophers like Plato and Aristotle emerged with dualist views, where the immaterial (spirit) interacts with the material (body).
• After the Middle Ages, monism resurfaced, but this time, it was idealistic, focusing on the role of thought and consciousness.

Monist Philosophers

• Hegel: Idealist monist who believed that reality is only ideal and that the absolute idea is the ultimate reality.
• Spinoza and Berkeley: Also idealist monists, but with a different approach.
• Marx and Engels: Materialist monists who believed that the world is material by nature and that all phenomena are forms of matter in motion.

Modern Science and Monism

• The materialist monism of Marx and Engels influences modern science, which seeks to explain consciousness through physical processes in the brain.
• The "Chalmers' bet" is an example of this, where scientists are trying to find the physical basis of consciousness.

The Author's Perspective

• The author is inclined towards dualism, with a slight inclination towards idealism, and sees life as a "video game" where science is a tool to explore the world, but ultimately, there is more to reality than what can be observed.

Monism vs. Dualism

• Monism is a philosophical concept that reduces all beings and phenomena to a single idea or substance, opposing pluralism.
• Dualism affirms the existence of two substances, material and immaterial, which interact with each other.

Historical Background

• Thales of Miletus, an early philosopher, believed that everything comes from water, marking the initial stance of monism.
• Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle later emerged with dualist views, positing the interaction between the immaterial (spirit) and material (body).
• Idealistic monism resurfaced after the Middle Ages, focusing on the role of thought and consciousness.

Monist Philosophers

• Hegel, an idealist monist, believed that reality is only ideal and that the absolute idea is the ultimate reality.
• Spinoza and Berkeley, also idealist monists, approached the concept differently.
• Marx and Engels, materialist monists, believed that the world is material by nature and that all phenomena are forms of matter in motion.

Modern Science and Monism

• The materialist monism of Marx and Engels influences modern science, which seeks to explain consciousness through physical processes in the brain.
• The "Chalmers' bet" is an example of this, where scientists are trying to find the physical basis of consciousness.

The Author's Perspective

• The author is inclined towards dualism, with a slight inclination towards idealism.
• The author views life as a "video game" where science is a tool to explore the world, but ultimately, there is more to reality than what can be observed.