sinnekroppsdualismen

Sinnekroppsdualismen, often translated as mind-body dualism, is a philosophical concept that posits a fundamental distinction between the mind and the body. In this view, the mind (or soul, spirit, consciousness) is considered non-physical and distinct from the physical body. The body, conversely, is understood as a material substance, subject to the laws of physics and chemistry.

This philosophical stance has a long history, with prominent proponents like René Descartes. Descartes argued that the mind is an unextended, thinking substance (res cogitans), while the body is an extended, non-thinking substance (res extensa). He proposed that the pineal gland in the brain served as the point of interaction between these two distinct entities.

Various forms of mind-body dualism exist. Substance dualism, exemplified by Descartes, asserts that mind and body are two entirely different kinds of substances. Property dualism, on the other hand, suggests that while there may only be one kind of substance, there are distinct mental and physical properties that cannot be reduced to one another.

Dualism faces significant challenges, particularly in explaining how a non-physical mind can interact with and influence a physical body, and vice versa. Critics often point to the difficulty of reconciling dualism with scientific findings in neuroscience and psychology, which tend to explain mental phenomena in terms of brain activity. Despite these challenges, mind-body dualism continues to be a subject of debate in philosophy of mind.