PHL 443 Week 2

DQs

Why is the mind-body question important to understanding human intelligence? Why is the mind-body question important to understanding machine intelligence?

What does it mean to be human?

Learning Team Weekly Summary

Individual Mind-Body Debate

Resources: Selection 3.2: RepublicPlato and Selection 3.4: MenoPlato in Ch. 3 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas

Imagine philosophers RenDescartes and John Searle were in a room discussing the mindbody question. How might their conversation sound? What important elements of the question might they discuss? How might their conversation develop?

Create an 8-10 slide PowerPoint presentation with notes of a dialogue of the mindbody debate from the point of view of Descartes and Searle.

Each character must present and critique arguments.

Each characters position must be identifiable.

The dialogue does not need to have a final resolution.

Include the following issues:

o Is the mind independent of the body? Is the mind more than the electrical impulses generated by the brain?

Descartes believed we can doubt the existence of physical matter, including our bodies, but we cannot deny our conscious minds.

Searle believes the mind is a rule-based information processing system.

o Are the mind and body two separate entities, or are they dependent on each other?

Conclude with a 2-4 slide PowerPoint presentation summary with notes of the dialogue and response. Discuss how your own views relate to the mindbody debate.