Dualism versus materialism (Identity)

by dhw, Sunday, July 02, 2017, 13:45 (2461 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw (quoting:) “A person’s mental activities are entirely due to the behaviour of nerve cells, glial cells, and the atoms, ions, and molecules that make them up and influenced them.” Do you accept this view?
If not, do you accept Aquinas’s view that our mental activities (e.g. ideas) are the product of an immaterial soul?

DAVID: Yes. Consciousness is soul. The newborn's brain receives consciousness as Ensoulment.

dhw: “Yes” would have helped considerably, but since your additional comments have nothing to do with the question, I’d better make sure you are not equivocating again. Apologies for my annoying desire for clarity. Once more: do you believe that our mental activities (e.g. our ideas) are the product of our material brain (as per Crick) or of our immaterial soul (as per Aquinas)?

DAVID: Yes, with our material brain using our immaterial consciousness. I view it all as seamless. The material has to interact with the immaterial, even if you are apparently looking for a separation.

Which alternative have you said yes to? Let me help you. Here is a dualistic proposal: our ideas (e.g. the idea of sharpening stones in order to use them as tools) are the product of our immaterial soul. This interacts with our material brain, which provides the immaterial soul with information and which enables the immaterial soul to give material form to its ideas (e.g. by getting the body to make and use tools). Do you accept this proposal?


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