Single Idea 3409

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / A. Mind-Body Dualism / 2. Interactionism]

Full Idea

Since Cartesian dualism implies causation from outside of the physical domain, this means there can be no complete physical theory of the physical domain.

Gist of Idea

Mental substance causation makes physics incomplete

Source

Jaegwon Kim (Philosophy of Mind [1996], p.147)

Book Reference

Kim,Jaegwon: 'Philosophy of Mind' [Westview 1998], p.147


A Reaction

This, I think, should be taken as a very strong argument against dualism, rather than as bad news for physics. Some exception might make the closure of physics impossible, but the claim that our brain is the exception looks highly suspect.