Mind-Body Dualism?

Question

why believe that a human being is a combination of a body and a soul?

Answer 1

No metaphysical problem is more vigorously
discussed by the present day psychologists than
that of mind and body. Most of us assume that all
thinking takes place in the brain. It is only
since a few decades that psychologists are
treating body and mind as a single unit called
psycho-somatic system. This led to the development
of new subjects like Psycho-biology and
Psycho-neuro-immunology. Modern medicine has
recognized the brain-spine system as a single
unit, but it does not assign thinking functions to
any part of the spine. It is now known that even
when a considerable amount of brain is removed
through surgery, a person can still have
reasonable mental abilities and can lead a near
normal life. Modern research found that one region
in brain can perform several tasks and so can
compensate for the loss of damage of another
region. On the contrary, surgical removal of some
'safe' parts from womb of women is known to cause
problems of mind like dementia. Then, what are the
components of mind and where are they located?

Indians put their hand on the chest when they say
"I am saying this from the depths of my Manas".
Manas (rational mind) is a common word used in
India, and no one shows his head when he uses that
word. The Europeans have an esoteric tradition
that mind exists independently of the physical
brain, and thoughts become known to a person
through the brain.

[The Hutchinson Encyclopedia, The topic on "mind",
Computer CD Version, 2002].

During the 1970s, neurologists became increasingly
dissatisfied with the epiphenomenalism theories of
mind and brain.

[Donald Watson, A Dictionary of Mind and Spirit,
Andre Deutsch Ltd., London, 1991].

More scientists came to suspect that mind and
brain were different in a kind and could interact.

http://profvsprasad.blog.com/

Soul is different from mind and body. However,
scientists are accepting the fact that mind and
body are a single unit called psycho-somatic
unit. What affects one is bound to affect the
other.

http://www.search.com/search?q=psychosomatic

Answer 2

why have a religion? ;)

anyways, i don't agree with either. the reason that dualism is popular, in history or in contemporary society, is that it concurs with most religions; and that people instinctively fears death - so they invent an undying mind that is separate from the materialistic, mortal body. but if so, interaction of mind and body is quite mythical - how can a non-spatial, non-materialistic mind (by definition of dualism) control a spatial and physical body, and how does stimulation in the body converts to mind states? descartes, a notable dualist, argues that this is done through the wiggling of pineal gland... how amusing...i mean how interesting is that... and when pressed for further explanation, he said that this is beyond our intelligence, and a problem only god knows the answer. so.

for me, i think our mind is just the state of a bunch of firing neurons. no more. choose your preferred theory.

Answer 3

Dualism is quite dead as a concept in any field, excepting some philosophy schools. It is not about belief, but the evidence showing that dualism of either the ideal, or property kind, is incoherent.

Answer 4

Whatever you want to call it, the soul or whatever seems to me to be an absolute requirement for self awareness.
Have you ever wondered why you are the self awareness of the body you are in and no other?
I can't believe anything but that our self or soul is a plug in unit that grows in awareness with the body.
Who knows they may even be recyclable?
cheers