Related Terms • dualism • materialism

Definition:
The mind / body problem is the problem facing philosophers of the mind: is the mind simply a product of the biological, physical brain or is it rather a product of nonmaterial, nonphysical forces? Those who answer with the latter are dualists, arguing that the mind and the brain are a dual system of two very different things. Those who answer with the former are materialists of one sort or another.

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Related Resources:

What is the Philosophy of Mind?
The relatively recent specialty known as Philosophy of Mind deals with questions of consciousness and how it interacts with the body and the outside world. Thus, it asks not only what mental phenomena are and what gives rise to them, but also what relationship they have to the larger physical body and the world around us.

What is Philosophy?
What is philosophy? Is there any point in studying philosophy, or is it a useless subject? What are the different branches of philosophy - what's the difference between aestheitcs and ethics? What's the difference between metaphysics and epistemology?