And So It Begins

INTRODUCTION

After Critiquing Paul M. Churchland's The Ontological Problem (the Mind-Body Problem), I decided to figure out which theory he proposes is one that I whole-heartily agree with. Those of you who haven't read Churchland I strongly recommend this piece. There will be many parts to this exploration. Here is Part 1.

The human being, arguable the most complicated organism on the face of this earth, is complex due to its ability to not only survive based on instinct, but also based on its ability to think. In fact the one thing that may make all the difference between human beings and other complex organisms is this ability to form thoughts. Therefore, the conclusion that there is some distinct appendage or accessory that human beings possess which give them this priceless ability to think is quite reasonable. Of course it can be argued that organisms besides human beings have thought processes, but for our purposes we will make the distinction that human thought is distinguishable. Therefore, this appendage or additional equipment that the human being possesses can be referred to as the MIND.

Philosophers have tried to explain how the mind works with varying “Theories of Mind.” These theories of mind have been argued for and argued against for years yet these theories have fallen short of truly identifying the power of the mind and how it works. In order to propose the real substance of mind and its true function we must first explore each theory of mind. When discussing theories of mind, one must acknowledge the two main classes in which the major theories belong. These two main classes are known as Dualism and Materialism and each contains its own theories.