Materialism Through The Mind Materialism - 867 Words

The Reducibility of Materialism Through The Mind Materialism can be described as, â€Å"the metaphysical view that holds that only physical entities are real or exist (Mulvaney 531).† Materialism is a topic that shapes how people look at the world and others. It has been a contested topic throughout all of history. As a result this concept has attracted the attention of many great philosophers like Rene Descartes and the Churchlands. Many philosophers attempt to understand this topic by attempting to reduce materialism to its very essence. The conclusions often vary from philosopher to philosopher, and that is no different between Descartes and Churchland. However, materialism is the more favorable stance as the ability to reduce it can easily done through many means as science. When attempting to understand whether one should favor materialism or not, one must be able to understand what type of materialism he or she believes in. In this particular essay, the framework of the Churchlands will be used to help better explain materialism. In this particular sense of materialism, people can reduce materialism by realizing that the general notions of the mind do not exist. Such general beliefs like beliefs and desire do not exist. This viewpoint of materialism is the accurate waypoint, but definitely differs from previous viewpoints. The most notable conflict is the great philosopher, Descartes. Descartes concluded that, for the most part, humanity can be confident about the contentShow MoreRelatedThe Philosophical Beliefs Of Substance Dualism And Modern Materialism953 Words   |  4 PagesPhilosophical Traditions of Substance Dualism and modern Materialism The tradition of Substance Dualism was formulated by Rene Descartes to define the differing modes of the soul that function in the human mind. The dualistic aspect of this philosophy is based on the presence of a higher power, such as God, that provides the essence of the mind through the soul, yet the human body is separated from this process. Therefore, Descartes sought to divide the mind from the material body as a method of definingRead MoreEssay The Mind-Brain Problem Concerning Dualism and Materialism830 Words   |  4 PagesThe Mind-Brain Problem Concerning Dualism and Materialism I am faced with the philosophical task of defending either dualism or materialism, depending on which one is most attractive to me. So either I support the theory of dualism, which is the belief that there is both a physical and a spiritual state, or I believe in materialism, which is the belief that everything that exists is material or physical. 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The debate between dualism and materialism has retained its relevanceRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Mind And The Body1646 Words   |  7 PagesPhilosophy of mind had come across when philosophers had an idea of the concepts regarding the human mind and its mysteries. This branch of psychology had intended to elaborate and study the nature and aspects of the human mind, also how these concepts such as mental events, mental functions and consciousness would connect to each other, through the human brain and body. Philosophy of mind became one of the central areas of philosophy as the skills and abilities of metalizing are used to treat individualsRead MoreEvidences for Materialism Essay903 Words   |  4 Pages Neuroscience, Brain Lesion Deficit and Alzheimers is the best evidence for Materialism. Firstly, Ill explain what materialism is and its opposing theory, dualism. Then Ill describe the evidence for materialism and respond with how dualists would. 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