Philosophy of Mind
Introduction Dualism Behaviourism Identity Theory Functionalism Dennett

Identity Theory:

  Identity Theory and Dualism
  Some Problems:
Reading My Brain
Type-Token and Token-Token
Multiple Realisability
  Further Reading


As we have seen, dualism - although, some would argue, the most common sense view - gives rise to all sorts of problems. If mind and body are separate substances, how do they interact? If mental stuff is immaterial - and therefore without quantity, weight, size, etc. - how do we know it exists?

As a response to these problems, certain philosophers have argued that dualist account of mind is unnecessarily complicated and that the problems it presents can be solved by adopting a materialist view.