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    The mind is distinct from matter and only an immaterial s... — Carmelics
    Home/Consciousness & Mind
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    The mind is distinct from matter and only an immaterial substance is capable of thought and consciousness.

    Consciousness & Mind
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    1 reason for
    2 reasons against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.The mind is simple, unitary, and indivisible.
      ?

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    • 2.Matter is compounded and infinitely divisible.
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    • 3.Simple, unitary, indivisible things are distinct from compounded, infinitely divisible things.
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    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Neural correlates of consciousness show systematic, lawlike dependencies between specific brain states and specific conscious experiences.
      ?

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    • 2.If thought were produced by an immaterial substance, no principled explanation would exist for why brain damage reliably destroys specific cognitive capacities.
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    • 3.The simplest explanation of these dependencies is that mental states are identical to or constitutively realized by material brain states.
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    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Hume's bundle theory demonstrates that introspection reveals no simple, unitary self—only a succession of distinct perceptions with no underlying unity.
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    • 2.If the mind's alleged simplicity and indivisibility cannot be verified through the only direct access we have to it, the first premise of the supporting argument is ungrounded.
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    Topics

    Consciousness & Mind

    Connections

    2 topics

    Modality & Possibility1 linkedPersonal Identity1 linked

    Related

    Hume's bundle theory demonstrates that introspection reveals no simple, unitary ...If the mind's alleged simplicity and indivisibility cannot be verified through t...If thought were produced by an immaterial substance, no principled explanation w...Matter is compounded and infinitely divisible.
    +4 moreShow less
    Neural correlates of consciousness show systematic, lawlike dependencies between...Simple, unitary, indivisible things are distinct from compounded, infinitely div...The mind is simple, unitary, and indivisible.The simplest explanation of these dependencies is that mental states are identic...

    Similar

    The human mind is a substance really distinct from the body.87%The distinction between mind and matter is a real and substantial one ...87%Descartes argues that because he can doubt the existence of matter but...86%The mind is the substance from which mental modes derive their formal ...86%

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: hume-religion
    View source passageHide passage
    There are two “metaphysical” arguments that aim to establish the immateriality of the soul that Hume is especially concerned with. The first argument, which is Platonic in origin, maintains that whereas mind is simple, unitary and indivisible, matter is compounded and infinitely divisible. It follows from this, according to this argument, that mind is distinct from matter and that only an immaterial being or substance is capable of thought and consciousness. Moreover, since immaterial minds are
    Extraction notes

    Validity: Extracted via Max plan + API grounding/validity checks

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (1 for, 2 against)
    Edits
    1 edit