Questions on Cartesian Dualism

  
 

 

1. What is it about the Mind, do you think, that makes it hard to think of it as being a material thing? Describe the faculties or characteristics or what not that make problems for the materialistic view.

 

2. We've seen several possible solutions to the interaction problem: would any of these satisfy the criteria of Hempel's Deductive-Nomological model of scientific explanations? Do you think any of them should be thought of as potentially scientific?

 

3. We've seen several reasons to think that dualism is problematic: do you think it shows that dualism is impossible? If you do, then do you think that we should think of there being only one kind of substance - material substance or mental stuff? In either case, explain how your view could explain all the facts. (I don't expect you to actually explain everything; just show that it seems plausible that an explanation could be found following your view.)