Can anyone describe the theory substance dualism and in relationship to that the theory materialism?

Question

For a philosophy paper

Answer 1

Substance Dualism holds that the body and the mind are of physical and mental substances respectively. Perhaps the best example of this descartian dualism. Materialism in contrast, holds that the mind is a function of the brain.

Answer 2

I am sorry that you have to write a paper on such a profoundly academic and ultimately meaningless topic, but nevertheless I shall endeavour to dredge something worthwhile from the bowels of purely academic discourse . . .

The 'theory' applied to both terms undermines their value as meaningful and thus gives a fine example of 'materialism', a superficial, sometimes bloated, usually self-serving acquisition or acceptance of something very surface, something frequently purile and stagnant.

The 'theory' duelism, is another mindless clump where all things are interconnected and everything is both responsible and dependant on the other for the possibility of existing. Of course this very 'duelism' is at odds with itself as wars for primacy are fought and attempts at supression can scatter this duelism to the wind and form a sunless landscape of terror clutching after everything for itself and its independant survival.

Answer 3

According to materialism, all is matter. According to substance dualism, there is matter and spirit, which are mutually exclusive: matter is not spiritual and spirit is not material.

Though I am a materialist (philosophically), I believe matter is really energy; there are no particles, all is flux. And I believe energy is spirit. So I'm really a spiritualist.