Group Members: Yusra M., Larissa W., Erin P., Keaton D., and Evan L.
Author: Evan Lester
Today's discussion in our group was on the mind and the body, and whether or not they are connected as a whole or separate. Larissa began the discussion saying that they are connected somehow, but sure how. This was the problem that Crane had as well. He was not sure how they were, just as Mellor was confused about the discussion of time. Then, I added the comment that if your mind and body are not connected, you wouldn't do things that you do every day. Also, we discussed how the hormonal chemicals and other bodily chemicals effect your mind by the way you act and how you think. Also, Keaton added (before he floated away) that they can't be considered separate because the mind controls your muscles and your every day life.
Then came along a floater named Jake! Jake added some great discussion on this topic. He said that our emotions depend on our physical mind and the physical brain. He said that emotions are stronger when the mind is intoxicated whether it be drugs, alcohol, or chemicals in the body. Also, he said that women and men's minds are different, but not in the sexist way. The minds of each gender are different by how we think and how they work through our body. Also, there is not distinction about the topic of intelligence because women are equally as smart as men.
Another floater named Morgan came and said he thought the mind was a spirit. He said that the mind is not about the functions but the personality and other traits people possess, which also include mental processes.
(Honestly, this topic is a hard topic because we do not really know the true answer to this. Also, I thought it was interesting how both Mellor and Crane said that they do not understand how time and the mind and body work. Just a thought to throw out there.)
DQ: Would the only way the mind and the body could be separated is by the unconscious level? (FREUD??)
FQ: Q: What philosopher believes there is a truth of the matter about something even though we may not know it?
A: Timothy Williamson (Vagueness)
Link: http://www.renedescartes.com/essay/rene_descartes_essay_001.htm
This link shows what Descartes thinks about the mind and the body. Also, it mentions a couple of other philosophers that we have discussed! Enjoy!
Hey yall! Sorry I missed out on class today! BUTTT it seems to me that I can get a pretty good consensus from the summary Evan posted! This is another topic (like the last few) that have been kind of difficult to discuss. But as far as I can see you guys did a pretty good job. I think that that the body and mind are related. The emotions we feel, the control we have to move our arms or jump up and down. There’s an undeniable (in my opinion) connection between the body and mind; the thing is actually identifying it. Mellor mentioned that he was confused by what exactly makes our thoughts conscience and unconscious.
ReplyDeleteNot too much to add from my end!
DQ: You kinda mentioned a few, but what was everyone else’s view on the topic?
My question is... is the mind just the result of physical happenings in our brain? Much water is the the result of 2 hydrogens bonding with an oxygen?
ReplyDeleteOr does the mind exist as its own thing, like a ghost that's possessing our bodies?
We had talked about where your mind actually is. Does it reside in your brain? Or is it your whole body? It comes down to what you think the mind is. We thought that the mind and body go together, that it is an all in one kind of thing. I don’t think you can separate the two. The mind just is. Yes, your body influences your mind and your mind influences your body. I think with that assumption, the two can’t be separated.
ReplyDeleteI believe this is one of the hardest topics we have discussed thus far. It definitely made me think. I think the biggest thing I pondered because of it was asking myself "what is the mind?" We say it all the time, but I've never really thought about what it actually is. And I still don't think I've come to a conclusion about it. Kind of like what Larissa said, I think it just is. I don't believe it to be a physical part of the brain. But I do think the mind, whatever it really is, is connected to the body. They work together to do every day things that we don't even notice we're doing. Our body does things we don't necessarily have control over, like breathing or sneezing. The mind is telling our body to do those things. Thank goodness! That would be a lot more things on our plate if we had to consciously tell our body what to do all the time.
ReplyDeleteDQ: What is your own definition of the human mind?