Summary Substance dualism (aqa alevel philosophy a*)

SUBSTANCE DUALISM

“Minds exist and are not identical to
bodies or to parts of bodies.”

, Notes:




INTRODUCTION:

Substance dualism (Descartes)
(Substance = individual entity), (Property = a way something is or can be)

 Substance = entity/thing that does not depend on anything for its existence
(ontological independence)
- Possesses properties, cannot exist without substance
- Substance persists throughout changes in properties e.g. thinker can think of a
series of thoughts
 Dualism = Mind is distinct from the physical

The mind and the body are distinct substances
“Minds exist (substances called minds) and they are not identical to bodies or parts of
bodies)”

 World contains two different substances
1. Material/physical ones = human bodies and physical objects
2. Immaterial one

Each of us has a body which is a material substance, material = extended (taken up in space)
Each of us has an immaterial substance = response for mentality, essence of mind = thinking
*Essence = without which you cannot be that thing

Two fundamental kinds of substances = mental and physical
- Claims that minds do not depend on bodies, minds can exist separately without
bodies
- Mind & body is ontologically distinct and independent
- Interactionist theory