more from Donald Davidson

Single Idea 3405

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / D. Property Dualism / 3. Property Dualism]

Full Idea

Since no laws exist connecting mental and physical properties, purely physical laws must do the causal work, which means mental events enter into causal relations only because they possess physical properties that figure in laws.

Gist of Idea

If mental causation is lawless, it is only possible if mental events have physical properties

Source

report of Donald Davidson (Mental Events [1970]) by Jaegwon Kim - Philosophy of Mind p.138

Book Reference

Kim,Jaegwon: 'Philosophy of Mind' [Westview 1998], p.138


A Reaction

Surely no such laws exist 'yet'? I can see no plausible argument that psycho-physical laws are impossible. However, the conclusion of this remark seems right. Interaction requires some sort of equality.