Active learning ideas
Substance Dualism, famously associated with René Descartes, posits that the mind and body are two fundamentally different substances: one physical and extended, the other mental and non-extended. Students examine Descartes' indivisibility and conceivability arguments, which rely on the 'clear and distinct' perception of the mind as separate from the body.
Activity 01
Students list physical objects and their parts. They then try to 'divide' a thought or a feeling. This hands-on comparison helps them evaluate Descartes' claim that the mind is fundamentally different because it has no parts.
Are the mind and body two distinct substances?
Activity 02
One student acts as the 'Mind' (giving commands) and another as the 'Body' (executing them). A third student, the 'Interaction Problem', must try to block the command, forcing the 'Mind' to explain how it can cross the physical barrier.
Does the conceivability of a disembodied mind prove it is possible?
Activity 03
Students close their eyes and try to 'conceive' of themselves existing without a body. They then discuss with a partner whether 'conceivability' is a reliable guide to 'possibility', as Descartes claimed.
How do the mind and body interact if they are fundamentally different?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Dualism is just the 'soul' from religion.
While related, substance dualism is a formal metaphysical claim based on logical arguments rather than faith. Using 'secular' examples of mental states helps students focus on the philosophical logic.
Descartes thought the mind was 'inside' the brain like a pilot in a ship.
Descartes actually argued the mind is 'intimately united' with the body, not just a pilot. Peer-led analysis of his 'Sixth Meditation' helps students see the nuance in his position.
Methods used in this brief
Property Dualism
Students explore the view that mental properties are non-physical properties arising from physical substances. The topic covers Chalmers' 'philosophical zombies' and Jackson's 'knowledge argument'.
8 methodologies
The Problem of Other Minds
A critical look at the epistemological challenge of knowing that other minds exist. Students will assess the argument from analogy and the claim that mental states are private.
8 methodologies