Physical things are located in space, for example my body or my house are all located in space, my thoughts are not. Hospers, explained that if you saw red spots before your eyes, where are the spots? (Hospers, 173). They do not exist in the physical world, they are said to be in phenomenal space. They are not physical spots such as the spot on a Dalmatian, but there is still the experience of seeing spots.
My body is always located in space, even if there is no-body else there to observe it still exists in physical space. There is no way in my which my body could not exist in space.
Our thoughts or mental processes are always about or directed towards something, physical objects are not about other things. Thoughts are always thoughts of something. Physical things, like the body are not about other things. For example a chair is only about a chair, it is not about the dinner you had last night while sitting on a chair. A mental process my include the chair, as in you need to sit on a chair at your desk to finish writing your essay. Some mental states though are not intentional; I may feel depressed about nothing in particular. However physical things, such as the body are never intentional.
Do you think there are any problems with those accounts?
Problems with Dualism!!
Dualism does not address the mind/body problem, it does not explain whether the mental states interact with physical. It simply explains that mental states are different to physical states, such as the body, but nothing about how the two interact.
Dualists believe that mental events can affect the physical, Mental events, how can they influence physical
Dualisyts argue that just because mental events can not be shown in space in does not disprove that mental events cause physical events. Mental events are private, but if mental states are also brain states then even though mental states are private, it might well be possible to observe brain states if science could invent the right kind of technology. Therefore it would be correct that mental event are private, as they could be viewed by others.
What is the interactionist view?
Interactionist is the common sense view that what happens in one’s mind can affect one’s body and vice versa, (dict :279). Mental events can effect what the body does, for example the emotion of fear can produce an individual to run and cutting ones finger can produce the mental state of pain. Interactionst believe that mind and the body do interact with each other, despite being made up of different substances.
Descarte believes that there is a constant interaction between the mind and body. They both can influence each other. Descarte even went so far to say that the two are connected. This view makes sense
Probs with interactionist
How can something non-physical manifest itself physically? How can these two things be connected?
Though not all philosophers are satisfied with the Dualist and the Interactions view.
What are some alternative accounts for mental states?
Behaviourist believe that mental states are actually observable outer behaviour. In Behaviourist doctrine, mental events are behavioural events or events of gaining and losing dispositions to behave, (Campbell, page...... 1970). Behaviourist argue that inner mental states are actually observable outer behaviour, and infact there are no such things as inner states. Mental states are not inner states of a non-physical mind. Behaviourist explains that mental states are observable through the individual behaviour. Behaviourists the mind does not lie behind, but in the behaviour, (Campbell, page.........1970).
Behaviourist believes that it is possible to observe another persons mental state through an individual behaviour. To refer to someone’s emotions or sensations is to refer to that person’s behaviour. They believe that these behaviours are not simply indicators of emotion, but are the emotions. Inner mental states are actually observable outer behaviour; consciousness is external, on this view.
Dispositions are not observable things, though the behaviourist. Even though I might not exhibit certain behaviour to that emotion, I still may the certain disposition to that emotion. The analogy of the glass. The glass has a certain disposition to shatter, under certain circumstance such as extreme temperatures the glass will break, while under other circumstances, with normal temperature the glass will not break, but still have the disposition to shatter.
FIX UP PARAGRAGH
Probs
The main problem with the Behaviourism as an explanation to the mind and body problem is that it does not explain the feel of mental states. For example hugging is more than the act of reaching and putting your arms around someone. It is the emotions associated with your relationship with this person. Behaviourism can not account for the feel of hugging someone, it can only explain the physical the act of putting your arms around somebody.
To a degree we can understand what is going on in another persons mind by their behaviour, but not all-mental states have behaviour and the most important aspect emotions can not be observed. One of the things that sets human beings apart are our emotions, how can these just be behaviours or dispositions to behave. It does not seem creditable. There is another theory of on the mind/body problem the Identity theory.
Identity theory is another way of addressing the mind/body problem. The identity theory explains that brain states and mental states are identical. The identity theory describes the way in which mental states cause behaviour. The Identity theory also emphasis mental sates as a cause of behaviour. “An inner state which causes outer behaviour.” Mental states and events, such as dreaming are identical with certain states or processes in the central nervous system, dictionary 265.
According to this theory, mental states are identical with certain physical states of the brain, (Hospers, 1982). MORE
Identity theory mental states are defined by reference to the behaviour it causes, (change wording).
The are the mind and body separate
Although from behaviour we can sometimes know another persons emotions, it is always true.
The most creditable account to .................... is dualism.
