Brain And Mind Essay

1436 Words3 Pages

The relation between brain and mind is disputed over a long time. The debate is whether mind and brain are separate entities or not and if the mind is a separate entity, then how are mental properties, functions and consciousness in relation with the brain, being things which are non-physical. Consciousness helps to understand the relation between the brain and mind, by contemplating the reason or the source of it, if it’s a manifestation of the mind or just a by-product of brain activity. The existence of mind and mental states can be explained through a more philosophical perspective rather than a scientific one. The core of science is philosophy based on empirical evidence, mind being metaphysical cannot be studied empirically. …show more content…

Churchland says that all the cognitive processes can be explained in terms of the brain. Artificial Intelligence can be seen to mimic the human mind in the ways we think, AI allows for modelling of brain processes which will improve the way we think about mental states and change how we comprehend consciousness and the self. The brain is just a neurocomputer. Churchland speaks against dualism, studying Alzheimer affected brains show damaged and plagued synaptic connections which correlate with reduced brain function and loss of memory. Consciousness consists of characteristics such as short term memory, independent of sensory neurons, steerable attention, varying and subjective interpretations of facts depending on individuals, disappears in deep sleep, reapers in dreaming, and unites different sensory modes into a single experience. (1999, Paul C. L. Tang) Churchland uses scientific and empirical evidence based on the progress of artificial intelligence, brain cognition, medical studies and relating them with the characteristics of consciousness to justify mind is brain and self is the brain rather than a different and non-physical …show more content…

Jon Mills says that monism and reductionism contradict the idea of free will and the self. The materialist view relies on the concept of simplicity which is: if something cannot be measured, it does not exist or is not real. If no physical system is free then humans being physical are not free therefore the property of free will is checked out. Materialism is an atheistic concept and also denies the existence of soul and the ontology of consciousness. (2002, Jon Mills) Mills explain the fallacies in materialist concepts. Materialism simplifies everything ultimately to matter or things that are empirically sound while things aside they are not real. Materialism is ambiguous as it rules out the possibility of free will and the mind leaving the human as physical object and nothing

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