Philosophy › Section F · Metaphysics › Topic F.5
Descartes, mind-body dualism, and behaviorism
René Descartes argued that the mind is a thinking thing quite distinct from the body, and his arguments still frame the debate. Behaviourism went to the other extreme, treating talk of the mind as talk about behaviour. Seeing why each view attracted followers, and why each met serious objections, clarifies the whole mind-body problem.
In this topic
- Two answers at opposite ends
- Descartes: thinking thing and extended thing
- Worked example: the conceivability argument
- The divisibility argument
- The interaction problem
- Other forms of dualism
- Weighing dualism
- Behaviourism: the mind in behaviour
- Worked example: belief as a disposition
- Further objections to behaviourism
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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