soul, mind + body

• What is dualism in philosophy?

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

  Two different 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 does materialism assert?

  One kind of existence is physical substance
• How did Plato view the body in relation to the soul?

  The body is a prison for the soul
• Where did Plato believe our souls originated?

  From the world of forms
• 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 does anamnesis refer to in Plato's philosophy?

  The process of re-remembering forms
• What is the consequence of Plato's rationalism?

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

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

  P1: We have concepts of perfect justice and beauty
• What is the conclusion of Plato's argument regarding perfect concepts?

  Knowledge of perfect concepts must be innate
• How can beauty and morality be viewed according to critics of Plato?

  They are subjective and culturally determined
• How does Hume respond to Plato's argument about perfection?

  We can conceive perfection from imperfection
• What does Hume suggest about mathematical knowledge?

  It could come from experience
• What is Aristotle's critique of Plato's theory of forms?

  It lacks empirical validity and explanatory power
• What does Aristotle believe about the relationship between form and things?

  Form cannot be separated from things
• How does Aristotle define the essence of a human being?

  The ability to reason
• What analogy does Aristotle use to explain the relationship between body and soul?

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

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

  It rejects the existence of formal causation
• What do neuroscientists claim about rationality?

  It reduces to material brain structure
• What is Descartes' substance dualism theory?

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

  Thinking
• What is the essence of physical substance according to Descartes?

  Extension
• What does Descartes argue about the divisibility of physical substance?

  It can be divided because it is extended
• What is Leibniz' law regarding identical things?

  Identical things must have the same properties
• What is the conclusion of Descartes' indivisibility argument?

  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 divisibility of the mind?

  He means consciousness is undivided
• What evidence challenges Descartes' view of the mind as consciousness?

  Modern psychology shows possible divisions of the mind
• What is the conceivability argument in Descartes' philosophy?

  Mind and body can be conceived as separate
• What does the masked man fallacy illustrate?

  Conceivability does not imply possibility
• How does Descartes defend against the masked man fallacy?

  Our knowledge of the mind is not ignorant
• What does the masked man fallacy illustrate about conceivability and possibility?

  Conceivability does not imply possibility.
• How does the masked man fallacy challenge premise P3?

  It shows conceiving the impossible is possible.
• What does Descartes argue about knowledge of the mind?

  There is no ignorance regarding our own mind.