soul, mind & body

• What is dualism in philosophy?

  Two different types of existence
• What is substance dualism according to Descartes?

  Two substances: mental and physical
• How does Descartes characterize mental substance?

  Characterized by thinking
• How does Descartes characterize physical substance?

  Characterized by extension
• What is monism in philosophy?

  One kind of existence
• What is materialism?

  Physical substance is the only existence
• How did Plato view the body in relation to the soul?

  As a prison for the soul
• Where did Plato believe our souls originated?

  From the world of forms
• What is the charioteer analogy?

  Analogy for the soul's guidance
• What is Plato's argument from recollection?

  Knowledge of perfect concepts is innate
• What does Plato claim about perfect concepts?

  We have knowledge of them a priori
• What example does Plato use to illustrate his argument from recollection?

  The uneducated slave boy solving geometry
• What does anamnesis refer to in Plato's philosophy?

  Re-remembering forms through experience
• What is the consequence of Plato's rationalism?

  There must be a world of immutable forms
• How does Plato describe the world of particulars?

  As a vague shadow of true reality
• What are Plato's premises regarding perfect concepts?

  P1: We have concepts of perfect justice and beauty
• What conclusion does Plato draw from his premises about perfect concepts?

  Knowledge of perfect concepts must be innate
• How does Plato's view of justice and beauty differ from subjective views?

  He believes they are objective concepts
• What is Hume's response to the idea of perfection?

  We can conceive perfection from imperfection
• How does Hume's point relate to mathematical knowledge?

  Mathematical knowledge can come from experience
• What alternative explanation does Hume provide for innate concepts?

  Evolution could explain our sense of morality
• What criticism does Aristotle have of Plato's theory of forms?

  It lacks empirical validity and explanatory power
• How does Aristotle define a thing's form?

  As its essence or defining quality
• What is Aristotle's view on the relationship between form and body?

  Form cannot be separated from the body
• How does Aristotle view the soul?

  As the form of the physical body
• What analogy does Aristotle use to explain the soul's relationship to the body?

  Stamp imprint in wax analogy
• What does F. Bacon claim about formal causation?

  It is beyond empirical study
• How does modern science view formal causation?

  It largely rejects the concept
• What is the relationship between Aristotle's form and modern neuroscience?

  Rationality reduces to material brain structure
• What does modern science currently struggle to explain?

  How consciousness reduces to brain processes
• What evidence links the brain to reason?

  Brain damage affects reasoning abilities
• What is Descartes' substance dualism theory?

  Two distinct substances: mental and physical
• What is the essence of physical substance according to Descartes?

  Extension in physical space
• What is Descartes' indivisibility argument?

  The mind is non-extended and indivisible
• What does Leibniz' law state?

  Identical things must have the same properties
• What conclusion does Descartes draw from his premises?

  The mind cannot be identical to physical substance
• What is the objection to Descartes' premise that the mind is indivisible?

  The mind can be divided into different functions
• How does Descartes respond to the objection about the mind's divisibility?

  Consciousness is undivided despite functions
• What modern psychological phenomena challenge Descartes' view?

  Blindsight and divided brain hemispheres
• What is the conceivability argument?

  Mind and body can be conceived as separate