...just physical beings but also have non-spacial elements to us, is an idea that has existed for thousands of years. Nearly all major world religions have ideas about this; from the Hindu ideas of atman, to the Judeo-Christian ideas on the soul. The main argument I'm using to examine us being 'basically physical beings' is dualism and the connection between the mind, body and the soul. One of the first recorded forms of dualism was platonic dualism. Plato (429-347 BCE) believed that the body was physical and is rooted in the four dimensions of space and time which is subject to change, he called this the 'sarx'. But a 'being' also had another part, a soul, which existed in the world of forms and was made up of three distinct elements; reason, emotion and appetite. These three instincts in Plato’s view are what animates us. This therefore makes us not just physical beings. Plato though, saw the soul as pure or 'simple' and therefore the body was inferior something which trapped the soul until death. Plato appears to believe that the soul will be reborn in a new body after that. Aristotle (384-322 BCE) at the time also agreed that we had a 'soul'. But he believed that the body and soul were inseparable, this is the earlier monist ideas. Due to the soul and body not being able to separate this mean that the idea did not allow the soul to survive death. Aristotle did rethink this at times wondering if we did have non-physical elements to us, but it's not likely since he believed people...
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... • Rebirth. • Resurrection. • Immortality of the soul. Introduction. Humans have refused to accept that this life is all we get for thousands of years. As a result of this refusal, humans have developed various theories to explain that when our bodies cease working, there is some kind of existence that takes place after this. Obviously, before getting into this debate, it is important to agree on what is meant by the word ‘death.’ ‘…when respiration and other reflexes are absent; consciousness is gone…an absolute and total loss of the brain function that cannot be reversed.’ This is a medical definition and is based upon medical methods of determining physical (brain) death. These methods are generally the use of an electroencephalograph (EEG) to determine brain function, an examination of pupil size and reaction and obviously, a check of blood flow (pulse), heart beat and respiration. It is generally accepted that once a body exhibits brain stem death, i.e. that there is no activity in the most primitive part of the brain, that death has occurred. What makes a human being? Theories concerning life after death are all interested in whether or not there is a part of the human body which survives the death of all the physical parts and where (or indeed when) it goes. There are a number of theories exploring what makes up a human being, but the basic distinction that you need to be aware of, is the distinctions between the materialist, monist...
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...The Mind and Body Debate LaSonya Jenkins PHL 443 June 16, 2011 Dr. Dean Dowling The Mind and Body Debate Is the mind independent of the body? The relationship between the mind and body has been a stimulating argument for philosophers for many years. Some believe that the mind and body is separate entities and others believe that the mind and body are one and are dependent upon each other. The following dialogue will present the position of René Descartes and John Searle regarding the mind and body debate. Descartes: It is certainly obvious that the mind and body are two distinctly different entities. The body has physical properties whereas the mind is nonphysical. John: With all due respect Mr. Descartes, I can’t say that I fully agree with your proclamation. However, I would say that the mind is a biological state of the mental that can cause or be caused by physical changes to the body. I feel like you do not have sufficient justification of the relationship of the body and mind (Searle, 2004). Descartes: Well young man, let me explain a few things that will support my premise in a substantial way that may indeed change your position. First of all, the mind can exist without the present of the body. You see John; the existence of my body is dubitable whereas my mind is not. Therefore my mind does not consist of the same properties of my body. This is a clear distinction that my mind is separate from my body. John: Mr...
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...In-Depth Look Healing consists of many variables within individual beliefs and faiths. Whether it is non-traditional faiths or traditional beliefs each one is connected through meaning of a higher spiritual enlightenment. This could include a philosophy or religion base that healing is conducted through mind, body, and spirit that embrace prayers or other components to reach complete healing of an individual. Non-traditional beliefs such as Tibetan Buddhism, Native American and Hinduism can be connected in some aspects to the mainstream religions like Christianity while having differences to the approach of healing. It will be discussed that the non-traditional beliefs on the perspective of healing, the components of healing, the similarities and differences that these beliefs have with traditional Christianity religion. Buddhism Buddhism started out in India and spread throughout Asia. Buddhism can be described as a philosophy seeking religion and it focuses on these principles rather than beliefs. Christianity is the opposite as it is a religion seeking philosophy and focuses on beliefs. Choosing Tibetan Buddhism, there is a concept of well-being, that the mind, body and spirit are achieved in an effective and comprehensive strategy for healing. There is harmony and balance that is believed to be essential for health and well-being with in this faith. In the Buddhist faith Karma is an essential aspect to healing. Karma is the creator of all happiness and suffering (Pende...
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...Law No matter how many shareholder exist in a company, there is a Under S119 separate legal entity between the company and its member. Like the case Saloman v Saloman& Co Ltd. Under S119 a company comes into existence as a body corporate at the beginning of the day on which it is registered with the name specified in its certificate of registration. Under S124 a company has the legal capacity and power of an individual both in and outside this jurisdiction. Four consequences from separate legal entity 1. there is a distinction between private and company debt. 2. there is a distinction between private and company assets. 3. a company can contract with its member. 4 a company can be liable in tort to a member. A company is recognised as a separate legal entity, it is possible for the ,members of a compang to enjoy limited liability. Put anotherway- the doctrine of separate legal entity. The liabili belong to the company and in a limited liaility company, the members’ liability is limited to the amount unpaid on the shares or the amount of the guarantee given by the member Application of law to the facts In this case, even though Toan and his wife are the sole shareholders of the company, and they are its sole directors, the company was a separate legal and it, not Toan and his wife, was running the business , so the successful bidder by the company. Conclusion Under S119 and S124, separate legal entity ,Toan the action will be successful....
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...materialistic view on the mind/body problem. Maddox goes back to the point that Data is not actually a human, thus does not have rights. It does not have an additional element besides that which is physical in its makeup, which makes it nothing more than property. Even though Data looks and acts like a human, Maddox holds that it still is not human, but rather property. Maddox offers this definition of a sentient being: “Intelligence, self-awareness and consciousness.” These elements require something outside of what is purely physical – indicating that he holds a dualism view. He contends that Data does not meet all three of these criteria, so it cannot be said to have rights. Unless there is something that operates outside of the realm of the physical – the mind – then Data does not have rights like a human has, because a human has that nonphysical property. I think that Picard holds a materialism view because he knows that Data is technically property, but still contends that he has rights. He compares Data to humans, saying that “We too are machines, just machines of a different type.” Even though Data was created differently than we are, he can still think, reason, is self-aware, etc, giving him just as many rights as any other person. The way his intelligence system operates is what makes him capable of the same type of reasoning we are capable of. Because Picard supports Data’s rights, even though Data could not possibly have a separate “mind” element in his being, leads me...
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...psychological experience lies at the intersection of biology and culture”(Kowalski & Westen, 2005). Psychology was (in some perspectives) stumbled upon in very early biological studies. It was observed that patients with head trauma injuries were test subjects to the identification of the correlation between the human brain and physical responses. This discovery opened the door to the study of human psychology. The finding that the human brain interacted with the body in producing reactions and actions led to an entirely new world of study filled with fascinating aspects, now known as psychology. The foundation of psychology is built largely upon philosophy and was rooted from such philosophers such as Aristotle and Descartes. Psychology has been traced back as far as the seventeenth century, but did not evolve into a separate discipline until the 1800’s. Rene Descartes was the first to introduce dualism. Dualism is the assertion that the mind and body are two separate entities that interact together to form the human experience. The debates of yesterday are still often contemplated. For example...
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...running it. The paper shall seek to examine if this veil of juristic person exists permanently or it can be lifted. What are the consequences of lifting that gown of juristic personality? The Concept of juristic personality. Companies and corporations are said to be legal or juristic personalities. This arises from the incorporation process. A corporation is a word that is said to have been derived from a Latin word corpus which means among other things “body”. An incorporated body becomes what is known as a “corpora coporata” in Latin or corporate body. The idea of a juristic person in law refers to an entity recognized in law as an artificial person. What this means is the entity recognized is given rights and responsibilities that arise from the law. The idea here is to separate the entity’s rights from the rights of those who owns it. In business law, entities such as cooperatives, limited liability corporations and companies are recognized as juristic persons. This means that they have rights and obligations separate from their owners or shareholders. This paper shall mainly...
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...possibility of language in primates is refuted by many, I believe, in large part because this cognitive ability has been believed to be reserved only for humans. John Searle seems to be making a similar argument against what he refers to as “strong” artificial intelligence. Searle argues that “instantiating a program” (422) cannot lead to understanding as a human, or even an animal understands. Searle argues that machines or programs lack “intentionality”, and are meaningless. I sympathize with Searle that it is difficult to accept a machine that shares cognitive capabilities with a human. Such a hypothesis seems to challenge the core values of humanity, such as our individuality and our unpredictability, or diversity. The rational human mind is something that has set humans apart from all other things even before Descartes’ “cogito ergo sum.” However just as evolution and language capabilities among primates have challenged core beliefs about humanity, more recent discoveries made in cognitive neuroscience and cognitive...
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...intellectual figure during the same period as Descartes. The two would consistently write to each other concerning philosophical issues between the years 1643 and 1649. Elisabeth of Bohemia was more Aristotelian, meaning that actions between the body and mind are “accepted as true and in harmony with one another, provided they are interpreted properly” (Correspondence, 22). As a political activist, she believes that the study of philosophy is too abstract to be considered political. Unlike Descartes, Elisabeth believes that the Cartesian mind carries various physical elements. She thinks that the mind causing a physical body to interact is unrealistic. It is a two-way street. The mind can affect the body, just as the body can affect the mind. To her, something that is immaterial cannot make something material move. Descartes’ idea is that the mind holds no physical aspects, Elisabeth of Bohemia falls in between. She believes that there are some material components to the mind. She does not understand how a nonphysical thing can cause the movement or interaction of a physical thing. In a letter, she...
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...What Is the Difference Between Western or Eastern Massage? Shannon Hankins COM/170 May 29, 2012 Mary E. Blackford What Is the Difference Between Western and Eastern Massage? Massage an international phenomenon that has been passed down from generation to generation within groups of people. Massage is a systematic manipulation of soft tissues of the body to enhance health and healing. The primary characteristics of massage are touch and movement. There are many styles of massage therapy. This essay will cover two of the most common groups of massage modalities, Western and Eastern, and explain the overall benefits of massage, the similarities and differences of Western and Eastern massage techniques, and Western and Eastern philosophy of healing behind each one. Although Western and Eastern massage outcome are similar, it is amazing how different their concepts are. Western and Eastern Massage have similar environments. For example, in the massage room sounds of soft tranquil music will be playing, the soft light of candles or dim lighting, the trickling sounds from a water fountain, a lovely sent of aroma therapy and a massage therapist eager to help his or her next client. There are some differences between the two environments. Western massage rooms have a massage table, where his or her clients will undress and get under the sheets like getting into bed. The massage therapist will use lotion or oil on his or her client’s skin during the massage session. Eastern...
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...History “Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior” (Apa, 2014). Contemporary psychology studies a wide range of topics that focus on human behavior and mental process on different levels such as cultural and neural. The discipline of psychology emerges in the late 1800s, however, it can be traced all the way back to the Greeks. It was during the 17th century that Rene Descartes, a French philosopher introduced the idea of dualism. This idea stated that the mind and the human body are two separate entities and by working together they form the human experience (About Psychology, 2014). Psychology starts to emerge as a separate discipline around the mid-1800s, during this time Wilhelm Wundt starts analyzing reaction times by utilizing the scientific research as his method to obtain his results. He was the founder of the first psychology lab in 1879 at the University of Leipzig. This event is considered by many as the official start of psychology as its own discipline. Around this time, William James publishes his book “The Principles of Psychology, and with this publication he is established as the father of American psychology. Furthermore, his books sets the foundations for a new school of thought; this new school focuses on how behavior helps people to adapt to their environment. This new school is functionalism; students of this school used the method of direct observation. One of Wundt’s students, Edward Titchener, went on to found Structuralism, this was psychology’s...
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...relationship between the body and the mind, creating a major conflict amongst theorists. Dualism is a theory that claims that the mind, a non-physical substance, is completely separate and distinct from the body, a physical substance. Originally coined by the famous philosopher René Descartes, dualism has since been argued against and overshadowed by numerous opposing theories. This was primarily due to the many weaknesses that dualism faced and the problems that could not be explained under this view. One of the opposing theories, functionalism, did not face the weaknesses that dualism did, and the problems they came across were not an issue for functionalists. This view, most strongly...
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...assume a causal relation between disease and illness—the perceived condition of poor health felt by an individual. Cultural health beliefs and models of illness help determine the perceived importance of symptoms and the subsequent use of medical resources.4 The assumption that a specific disease underlies all illness has led to medicalisation of commonly experienced anomalous sensations and often disbelief of patients who present with illness without any demonstrable disease process. Finally, most biomedical models also seem strongly linked to primitive forms of intuitive mind-body dualism. Health commissioners, budgetary systems, healthcare professionals, and the public all act as if there is some clear, inescapable separation between physical and mental health problems, ignoring evidence that a person's emotional state always affects their function and presentation of physical symptoms.w17 w18 For example, separate services exist for people with physical disability and for those with mental health problems. Healthcare systems are social organisations, and their continuing health depends on members of society using a congruent model of illness and system of values to decide...
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...UCOR 2500-01 12-7-15 Ideals of Living The ancient philosophers present differing views on how a life should be lived. Both Socrates and Confucius prescribe a way to live the best life, but their reasons for doing so vary. Socratic philosophy is based on the pursuit of wisdom leading to the separation of the soul from the body. Confucian philosophy describes the path to become an exemplary person, which draw on the lessons of history and community. In comparing their beliefs, we can learn life lessons that are of benefit in the here and now and others that are more esoteric. In the Socratic philosophy of soul and body separation, Socrates maintains that the separation of the soul and body is the end goal of a philosopher’s life. He goes so far as to say that a philosopher ought to welcome death, as it is the culmination of one’s life. He is then asked why suicide is not an option, if a philosopher welcomes death. Socrates rebuts by saying that we are the possessions of our creators, “…would you not be angry if one of your possessions killed itself when you had not given any sign that you wished it to die.” (P. 99) Socrates continues to expand his philosophy by supporting why a philosopher would welcome death. He states that in death, “…I should go first to other wise and good gods, and then to the men who have died and are better than men are here. Be assured, that as it is, I expect to join the company of good men.” (P. 100) Socrates argues that a philosopher who has...
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