What is Mind?

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Ruskin
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Ruskin »

What is mind? Doesn't matter. What is matter? Never mind.

A quote from Homer Simpson btw.
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Drunk and Ignorant
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Drunk and Ignorant »

UniversalAlien wrote:Assuming you are reading this one might assume that you assume you have a mind to do the reading. But what is this thing called mind that you use, or uses you? Is it a thing, an entity, a brain, a soul, a self, etc.? Or is mind nothing more than a computer in a biological container? We know what we mean when we say someone 'lost their mind' - But what did they lose - the ability to effectively process and control their physical reality - Or is mind more than that? Must a mind be creative, individualistic, with a self and an ego? What do you think it means to have a mind? And what do you think this thing called mind is?
I believe the mind is simply the biological machine, an organ of the human body as important as other organs. It contains chemicals, neuro-pathways and such. So the value we place on thoughts, whilst it does help us and is important to us, is of no more important in a universal sense than the heart or lungs or anything else and no more unique or "special".

That is the mind. A by-product of your brain.
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ReasonMadeFlesh
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by ReasonMadeFlesh »

Consul wrote:
Bohm2 wrote:You do realize that Strawson is a panpsychist?
Yes, and a physicalist, a "real physicalist". However, most physicalists think that physicalism excludes panpsychism. On the other hand, there is allegedly:

"…the very possibility of what I shall call Panpsychistic Materialism.
It is often noted that psychophysical identity is a two-way street: if all mental properties are physical, then some physical properties are mental. But perhaps not just some but all physical properties might be mental as well; and indeed every property of anything might be at once physical and mental."


(Lewis, David. "New Work for a Theory of Universals." 1983. Reprinted in Papers in Metaphysics and Epistemology, 8-55. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. p. 35)

Should this be called "panpsychophysicalism" or "panphysiopsychicalism"? I don't know.
Accepting panpsychism doesn't mean a physicalist has to give in to mentalism.
"A philosopher who does not take part in discussions is like a boxer who never goes into the ring." - Ludwig Wittgenstein
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Consul
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Consul »

ReasonMadeFlesh wrote:Accepting panpsychism doesn't mean a physicalist has to give in to mentalism.
No, but there's a difference between saying that all things have both mental properties and physical properties, with the former being different from the latter, and saying that all things have properties which are both mental and physical.
"We may philosophize well or ill, but we must philosophize." – Wilfrid Sellars
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Subatomic God
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Subatomic God »

Consul wrote:
No, but there's a difference between saying that all things have both mental properties and physical properties, with the former being different from the latter, and saying that all things have properties which are both mental and physical.
Well said, Consul.
What do you call a cat wearing a turtle's shell on its back? A purpoise.
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Neznac
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Neznac »

Subatomic God wrote:
Consul wrote:
No, but there's a difference between saying that all things have both mental properties and physical properties, with the former being different from the latter, and saying that all things have properties which are both mental and physical.
Well said, Consul.
The thing I'd like to know is, what are these mental properties? How does one identify them?
Granth
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Granth »

Everything physical is a mental property. It is also called sensory perception.
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ReasonMadeFlesh
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by ReasonMadeFlesh »

Granth wrote:Everything physical is a mental property. It is also called sensory perception.
I'd say the opposite.
"A philosopher who does not take part in discussions is like a boxer who never goes into the ring." - Ludwig Wittgenstein
Sacrontine
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Sacrontine »

I don't think the mind even exists, it's just a word people use as far as I can see.
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Subatomic God
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Subatomic God »

Sacrontine wrote:I don't think the mind even exists, it's just a word people use as far as I can see.
Is the mind inside? Or is the mind outside?
What do you call a cat wearing a turtle's shell on its back? A purpoise.
Sacrontine
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Sacrontine »

Subatomic God wrote:Is the mind inside? Or is the mind outside?
I just told you I don't think it exists, how could I answer that question?
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Neznac
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Neznac »

Sacrontine wrote:I don't think the mind even exists, it's just a word people use as far as I can see.
I agree. There are a lot of words people use for imaginary things that don't exist. Even the word 'consciousness' is not referring to a thing, but to an action, yet like 'mind' it's a very convenient word to use! I think that believing in the existence of a mind is the first step to believing in the existence of a god; it's all the same kind of linguistic mistake!
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Subatomic God
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Subatomic God »

Sacrontine wrote: I just told you I don't think it exists, how could I answer that question?
If you feel that it's outside, then it does exist. The information and ideas come from somewhere, but perhaps it's truly not inside, as we interpret the experience. Our entire brains are connected to this world with senses and connection, therefore the mind is not in the brain - it's connected to the brain from the Universe, via electromagnetic forces.
What do you call a cat wearing a turtle's shell on its back? A purpoise.
Sacrontine
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Sacrontine »

Subatomic God wrote:If you feel that it's outside, then it does exist.
But if I don't, it doesn't? Because I don't.
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Subatomic God
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Re: What is Mind?

Post by Subatomic God »

Sacrontine wrote: But if I don't, it doesn't? Because I don't.
You can, if you open your mind to the possibility that there is not a "your mind", but "a mind" - that is not "inside", but "outside".
What do you call a cat wearing a turtle's shell on its back? A purpoise.
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