Single Idea 3513

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / A. Mind-Body Dualism / 8. Dualism of Mind Critique]

Full Idea

Even dualists must explain how the mind represents things, but then their mind-stuff has so many special powers already (being outside space but in time, being transparent to itself etc.) that one more scarcely seems worth worrying about.

Gist of Idea

How does a dualist mind represent, exist outside space, and be transparent to itself?

Source

David Papineau (Philosophical Naturalism [1993], 3.1 n1)

Book Reference

Papineau,David: 'Philosophical Naturalism' [Blackwell 1993], p.55


A Reaction

I share the exasperation. It is hard to see how a dualist could even begin to formulate a theory about HOW the mind does so many different things. Could Descartes get a research grant for it? Would we understand God if he tried to explain it to us?