the mind
May 26th 2008 23:46
What is the human mind? Seems like a simple enough question, in form anyways. Also seems as though it would be a question long since answered by now. There are six billion or so of these human minds wandering around on this planet. It would seem that at least one of them would be able to answer that question. Yet, the nature of the mind remains an open question. There are major and minor, secular and religious, theories about the mind and yet, we can't say for sure whether those theories are even on the right track.
That said, there are some things we can say about the mind. First of all, the entire modern discussion regarding the mind has been dictated by Descartes. He claimed, in the first half of the 1600's, that the mind (soul) and the body were separate substances. The argument, as such, has proceeded inevitably from this point and gone no further. Generally, people either come down as being in favor of this idea, the mind is mysterious, defies categorization and study, and will continue to be and do so. The responding side is that the mind is a function of a purely material or an organic mechanical nature. The former tend to be philosophical, free will advocates and the latter tend to be determinists and/or behaviorists.
I'm planning on writing several pieces over the next month exploring the questions and theories of mind and hope that you, the readers, will find it as fascinating to read about as i have.
That said, there are some things we can say about the mind. First of all, the entire modern discussion regarding the mind has been dictated by Descartes. He claimed, in the first half of the 1600's, that the mind (soul) and the body were separate substances. The argument, as such, has proceeded inevitably from this point and gone no further. Generally, people either come down as being in favor of this idea, the mind is mysterious, defies categorization and study, and will continue to be and do so. The responding side is that the mind is a function of a purely material or an organic mechanical nature. The former tend to be philosophical, free will advocates and the latter tend to be determinists and/or behaviorists.
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