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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 4 page paper compares and contrasts Descartes' views with Armstrong's theories. The paper concludes that Descartes' perspective on the mind-body problem is more reasonable. The mind-body problem is discussed in depth. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Page Count:
4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: RT13_SA313Des.rtf
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a debate concerning near death experiences as well as religious experiences. Are people really spiritual beings? Do they connect with the other side? Is synchronicity really in the minds eye,
or are there meaningful coincidences in daily life? To New Agers, spirituality is a reality and that is all that is real. On the other extreme are scientists who explain
away that famous tunnel and light people perceive when they were near death as the brain creating that illusion. Scientists can explain why and how the brain creates such
images. Although it is hard to fathom that no spiritual truths are real, it is true that hallucinogens for example can create such religious experiences. Yes, the mind distorts reality.
Hence, there is a mind-body problem. Descartes concludes that the mind is something useful, but not very reliable. Yet, other philosophers differ. For example, D.M. Armstrongs view is quite
the opposite. He contends that there are philosophical reasons for believing in the universal and that universals really do not exist independently of particulars that create them (Honderich, 1995). Instead,
universals exist as empirical questions (1995). Above all, Armstrong embraced functionalism as a theory of the mind (1995). This theory states that the condition for being in a mental
state should be given by the function of that state and also, this is meant to be in terms of standard causal relationships (1995). This theory is based in psychology
and behaviorism whereas Descartes ideas are more pertinent to whether or not the mind is perceiving reality as if there is an objective reality. Armstrongs theories seem more flexible in
some ways, but in others, there seem to be variables that are frankly not malleable enough. Armstrongs theories appear to be based on concrete assumptions and Descartes theories are
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