Attribute dualism - Coursework Example

Attribute Dualism Dualism refers to the concept that s that there is more to the human mind than just the brain. According to Braddon-Mitchell and Jackson (137), the concept comprises of the fact that our minds consist of a non-material and spiritual dimension, which comprises of consciousness and other eternal attributes. Attribute dualism is therefore illustrated through the dualism theory, which states that the human brain is material, but comprising of non material properties such as the mind.

This theory is also well explained in an analogy about diamonds, which although very beautiful; and pleasant to look at, their beauty only comes from their physical properties but they cannot be reduced to them (Rodriguez, 5). According to Stent (11), the mind and the body are basically different substances or matter, which results in the problem of lack of an underlying link between the body and the mind. However, one definite fact is that the essence of the mind is thinking while that of the body is physical existence, which is also referred to as extension.

Therefore, without a mind, any human being would just be a ghost in a machine (Braddon-Mitchell and Jackson, 136). However, the mind makes a person and through its non-physical attribute or feature, makes a person complete and controls the physical body (Rodriguez, 5). The most challenging part of this concept is how to separate the mind and the brain. However, this challenge can be overcome by an illustration of a container which represents ourselves, including our physical body and physical brain, as well as the other different non physical features such as our spirit, soul and mind (Stent, 11).

The mind, soul and spirit will then be regarded as the conscious part, which manifests itself though the same way in which sound and picture waves, which are also non-material, manifest themselves in a television. The major critic of this theory is the materialism theory, which states that everything contained in the universe, including the brain or human mind, is made up of physical materials and that spiritual attributes are non existent (Stent, 12).Work CitedBraddon-Mitchell, David and Jackson, Frank.

The Philosophy of Mind and Cognition: An Introduction. New York: Wiley-Blackwell, 2006. Print. Rodriguez, Gonzalo. Descarte’s Substance Dualism and His Independence Conception of Substance. Retrieved on 13th February 2012 from: http://www.philosophy.ox.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/3104/Descartess_substance_dualism_and_his_independence_conception_of_substance.pdfStent, Gunther. Paradoxes of Free Will, Vol 92, Part 6. New York: American Philosophical Society, 2002. Print.