Dualistic interractionism The brain in is an electrical organ, consisting of grey matter (the area of intellect) and white matter (the area of creativity) that is enclosed in the Crainum. Moreover, the brain is responsible for the interpretation of sensory impulses, and the regulation of bodily activity. For example, the hypothalamus regulates bodily temperarure, the anterior lobe of the pitutary gland, by means of the endocrine system, regulates metabolism e.t.c The brain is part of the central nervous system. The central nervous system, (a part of the nervous system), ) consists of the brain, spinal column, and the 31 nerve endings, with millions of subsection, that connect the brain to the whole structure/anatomy. As a result, the brain can, by means of neurotransmitters, electrical signals, or its electrochemical activity, or biochemicals, regulate bodily activities that are associated with the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is responsible for involuntary bodily activities/actions. E.g breathing, digestion, the constriction of blood vessels, the contraction of muscels e.t.c Those bodily activities/involuntary actions do not require the sanction of conscious intent, and free will, before they occur. On the contrary, voluntary actions; that is, actions that require the sanction of conscious inent, or volition; do not occur without conscious intent. Hence, my arm cannot raise itself up without my conscious intent and my will. However, the raising of my arms/or voluntary actions, require the somatic nervous system/neurological processes. So, voluntary actions are the effects of the combination of both 1. Mental events (e.g conscious intent and volition) and 2. The somatic nervous system. The somatic nervous system, like the autonomic nervous system, which can be divided into the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system, is a part of the pheriperical nervous ststem, which (like the central nervous system), is part of the nervous system. Now, since voluntary actions/or the raising up of my arm are/is the effect(s) (of the combination of conscious intent, 2. Volition, and 3. The somatic nervous system/sensory neurones that signify the signal to the brain, and motor neurones that excite the effector that causes muscle contraction), it implies that mental events and the physical events in the brain are necessary for voluntary actions. In short we cannot execute the intent of our mind without the pheripherial nervous system/somatic nervous system. Or we may consider the issue as follows; We can intend to move, but if we do not have a pheripherial nervous system/somatic nervous system/sensory neurones/motorneurones, then we cannot move. For, human nature, in the context of dualistic interractionism, requires a nervous system. But also, without mental events (i.e conscious intent, thoughts, and volition) voluntary action cannot occur. For, the nervous system requires the consent of the mind before voluntary actions can occur. For, if the action occurred without the consent of the mind (and conscious intent) then the actions would not be involuntary. The fact is, We have the capacity to be conscious of involuntary actions. For example, we are aware that the knee jerk action, that occurs as a result of the stimuli traveling up the spinal cord (but not into the brain) occurs without the sanction of conscious intent and volition. So, it is really the case that there is an actual distinction (and not just a conceptual distinction) between involuntary actions and voluntary actions. It is also important to note the following; Since voluntary actions exist it implies that we may argue abductively,for free, will as follows; 1. Humans can act voluntarily. 2. The best explanation for humans act that are voluntary is free will. 3. Therefore, Humans have free will. Now, I have already stated (and what i stated is not inconsistent with our experiences) that voluntary actions require 1. Mental events and 2. The nervous system; but i need to show how this works with dualistic interractionism. Well it works as follows; Humans are not essentially material. And physicalism, relative to the nature of the mind; and materialism, or the doctrine that everything (including mental events) can be understood in terms or matter; Is a philosophical assumptions. Their assumption is as follows; 1. A human being is essentially material and 2. Everything can be understood in terms of matter. However it is easy to show that their assumptions are simpy that, assumptions, and nothing more. And so, I am not going to waste my time with that issue of ontology and epistemology. (What is the nature of mind? And; How do you know?) But i am willing to discuss it with materialists that respond to this. The fact is this, There no reason to believe that the physical events in the brain are necessarily mental events. Only a materialist would assume that. For example, Materialists claim that thoughts are the chemical reaction (and random vibrations of atoms) in the brain. But, we may argue as follows; 1. Thoughts are always about something. 2. Thus, if the chemical reactions (and random vibrations of atoms) in the brain are not about something, then the chemical reactions (and random vibrations of atoms are not thoughts) 3. The chemical reactions (and random vibrations of atoms) in the brain are not about something. 4. Therefore, the chemical reactions (and vibration of atoms) in the brain are not thoughts. Now, dualistic interractionism works as follows; There are two distinct substances, namely 1. A material substance/corporeal substance (e.g brain and body) and 2. An immaterial substance (e.g Consciousness/mind) that interract with each other. The mind interracts with the body by means of its brain. Or the mind uses the brain to cause voluntary actions. And the brain interracts with the body by means of 1. Biochemicals 2. Electrical activity, 3. The central nervous system, 4. Neurotransmitters (e.g serotonin, Dopamine, oxytocin, neuroadrenaline, cortisol, e.t.c And the mind communicates with the brain by means of thoughts. In fact thoughts initiate voluntary actions in the crebral cortext of the brain. Even on the microscopic level there is interraction. For, the cells of the brain communicate with each otgher by means of the brains electrical signal. The electrical signal of the brain is created by the sodium ion and pottasium ion that exit the pores of the cells during communication. Moreover, as a dualist interractionist i believe the following; The mind uses those processes to govern the body. Notice that dualist interractionism does not reject neuroscience or the role of neurologucal processes. It is important to take note of that, because certain forms dualism do not contain human physiology or neuroscience. That is because philosophers, of the past, did not know about physiology or neuroscience. Now we do. But some claim that this implies that we no longer requrie a dualistic explanation for human nature; and other claim that neruoscience science has buried dualism. But As far as i am concerned neuroscience/physiology has not negated dualism. No. For, neuroscience/physiology is a tool for both the materialist and the dualist. The fact is, We are observing facts in the brain? But, what do the facts imply? The answer to that question is based on our respective interpretation of the facts. And our interpretation of the facts is contingent on 1. The Hermeneutic circle (our values, attitudes, e.t.c) and 2. Our philosophical assumptions. Nevertheless; It is important to note that my position, namely, dualisitc interractionism, is based on experience and my interpretation of the facts that we have been able to obtain from machines that help us to study the structure of the brain ( E.G MRI, SPEC E.T.C) and machines that help us to study the function of the brain (e.g FMRI, MEG, EEG E.T.C). And so it is not simply an idea of pure reason. The fact is this; Materialists and dualists agree with the facts. But we disagree with 1. Each others interpretation of the facts and 2. With the way the facts are perceived. Nevertheless; Dualistic interractionism is a reasonable position. Next; Dualistic interractionism can also be undertood by means of the puppet analogy. The puppet analogy is as follows; The puppet master (Mind and consciousness), the strings (the nervous system, the central nervous system, the pheripherial nervous system, and the somatic nervous system), and the puppet(the body). So, the puppet master (mind and consciosuness) uses the string (the nervous system), as the means to regulate and causally determine the puppet (the body). And so, we should not be suprised that the puppet master (mind and consciousness) cannot control the body if apsects of the strings (the nervous system) that are connected to the puppet(the body)are damaged. For, if the mind cannot interract with the body, then it interract with the nervous system, and susbequently it cannot control the body. This fact can be obsevred when we consider the physiology of emotions. But first, What are emotions? What are feelings? And is there is a distinction between emotions and feelings? Well, Emotions are outward facial expressions. And emotions can be divided into two types, namely: 1. Positive emotions and 2, Negative emotions. 1. Positive emotions: Happiness, joy e.t.c 2. Negative emotions: Anger, Sadness e.t.c Next, Feelings are simply intrinsic sensations. And the sensations can be either positive or negative. Next, The distinction between sensations and feelings is as follows; An emotion is an outward expression that conrresponds (but not necessarily, because we can express emotions without feelings) to an inward disposition. And a feeling is an intrinsic sensation that corresponds to outward facial expressions. Next, Positive emotions and feelings occur at the left side of the brain. Moreover positive emotions (e.g joy) occur when neurotansmitters (e,g Serotonin) stimulate the left side of the brain. And negative emotions (e.g anger) occur when stress hormones (neurodrenaline and cortisol) stimlate the right side of the brain. But; if (for example) the left side of the brain or right side of the brain is dmaged it imples, in the context of dualsitic interractionism) that the person will not be able to express the emotion that corresponds to that side of the brain. For, as the puppet analogy shows us, If the puppet master (the mind and consciousness) is disconnected from the strings (the central nervous system) because it is damaged, then the puppet master (mind and consciousness) will not be able to choose what emotions to express; Moreover it will not be able to express the emotion. For the mind requires the brain for the end of expressing the bodys emotion. That position is not inconsisten with what we actually observe. That postion is known as Dualistic interractionism. Therefore, dualistic interractionism is not inconsisten with what we actually observe. Again; Dualisitc interractionism is the doctrine that a human being is composed of two distinct substances, that is, an immaterial and non corporeal susbtance and a material and corporeal substance, namely, the brain and the mind, that interract with each other. So, all there is is not the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system); and so all there is is not the subatomic particles that make up the atoms, and the atoms that make up the molecules, and the molecuels that make up the cells, and the cells that make up the tissues, and the tissues that make up the organs, and the organs that make up the organ system. Hence, reductionism is false. For there is also a hideen world that we experience and know by acquaintance. Moreover this hidden world is capable of interracting with the central nervous system. Prominent Philosophers, Like William Lane Craig, and the philosopher of science, Karl poppoer, support various versions and accounts for dualistic interractionism.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 10:14:49 +0000
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