Theories of Mind and Body Relationships
July 18th, 2010
A diagram from Odhams Press’s 1955 The Wonderful Story of You: How Your Body Works, How Your Mind Works.
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EPIPHENOMENALISM
Mind a mere by-product of body |
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PHYSICAL MONISM
Body a mere precipitate or condensation of mind |
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PARALLELISM
Mind and body on parallel lines, but no connection between them whatever |
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TWO ASPECT THEORY
Mind and body two aspects of the same reality |
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MATERIALISM
Body alone exists. Consciousness is merely a physiological process |
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SUBJECTIVE IDEALISM
Mental processes alone exist |
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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).
April 5th, 2011 at 6:36 am
Excellent diagram.
October 4th, 2011 at 6:55 am
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