The mind appears to be of a radically different nature to the everyday material items we normally encounter. Insofar as our body, including our brain, are considered parts of the material world, it becomes a mystery as to how our mind can find a place within nature and interact with out body. This is what is known as the mind-body problem. After trying to make sense of the problem, this lecture explores a proposed solution in the form of substance dualism as propounded by French philosopher Rene Descartes.

Copyright 2013 Jack Reynolds / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

The mind appears to be of a radically different nature to the everyday material items we normally encounter. Insofar as our body, including our brain, are considered parts of the material world, it becomes a mystery as to how our mind can find a place within nature and interact with out body. This is what is known as the mind-body problem. After trying to make sense of the problem, this lecture explores a proposed solution in the form of substance dualism as propounded by French philosopher Rene Descartes. Copyright 2013 Jack Reynolds / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

The Consciousness Conundrum I (handout)

In this subject we examine some of the central problems that have captivated philosophers throughout millennia, as well as those that scientific advances and cultural changes have only recently brought to our attention. These might include: where did the universe come from? Might a machine think? Is time travel possible? Is it morally acceptable to eat meat, or to design children genetically? Does the world suggest the existence of a designer, a God? Students will focus on examining the merits of the various arguments on these issues, dealing with each philosophical problem for a week. Students will be introduced to most of the major philosophical areas, including epistemology (what can we know?), metaphysics (what is the nature of reality?), ethics, personal identity, and philosophy of mind.

Share The Consciousness Conundrum I (handout)

Sign up to save your podcasts

The Consciousness Conundrum I (handout)

The Consciousness Conundrum I (handout)

More shows like Philosophical Problems

Ancient Greece: Myth, Art, War

Epics of Rome

History of Children's Literature

Genres in Children's Literature

Diet and Nutrition

Early Imperial Russia

Australian Aboriginal History

The Philosophy of Descartes

The Roman World

Asia Rising