A diagram from Odhams Press’s 1955 The Wonderful Story of You: How Your Body Works, How Your Mind Works.

EPIPHENOMENALISM

Mind a mere by-product of body

PHYSICAL MONISM

Body a mere precipitate or condensation of mind

PARALLELISM

Mind and body on parallel lines, but no connection between them whatever

TWO ASPECT THEORY

Mind and body two aspects of the same reality

MATERIALISM

Body alone exists. Consciousness is merely a physiological process

SUBJECTIVE IDEALISM

Mental processes alone exist

INTERACTION

The view of Common Sense. Mind and body both exist and act and react one with the other

“Obviously mind and body influence each other to a very great extent, and many theories have been put forward to explain how they are related. Some of the most important of these theories are illustrated in diagram form above” (p197).

2 Responses to “Theories of Mind and Body Relationships”

  1. Monad Says:

    Excellent diagram.

  2. Pat Field Says:

    You might be interested in the in-depth study of the relationship between body and mind in Affect Imagery Consciousness by Silvan Tomkins. This is a study clearly in the “Interaction” category. For an overview, see http://tomkins.org

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