Picking Your Brain (Not Your Nose)

Journal Entry #4

Published on July 16, 2004 By alison watkins In Philosophy

Let’s talk about what is in our heads….here’s my running list

I am at work and typing
There’s a reflection of the computer screen
I hear the clicking of the keys as I type words on the screen
I also hear the buzzing of the air conditioner
I feel excited because I am thinking about my busy weekend ahead
Sunday is my Birthday
I should not have had pizza yesterday
My face itches
7 ½ more hours to go until work is over
Coffee coffee coffee

Descartes rationalized that to understand “mental activities” such as sensation, memory, or imagination one must hypothesize how they result from interaction between the environment, the senses, and the processes of the brain. However, there is a distinction between the mental (mind), and the physical (body).

Descartes labeled this as mind/body dualism. Dualism is defined as the view that states that the mind and body are separate entities. Descartes believed that you can doubt the existence of your body, but you cannot doubt the existence of your mind.

I do not understand how this is possible. Your body makes you physically aware of your surroundings, your mind translates what you see. I believe that these entities work together to create awareness.

The mind can determine itself, rejecting or accepting whatever the person in question wants. The body is determined by other forces in the environment. For example, I actually see the computer, it is a determinable object, and therefore it is part of body reasoning. My excitement due to the weekend is in my mind because I want it to be there. If I didn’t want to think about the weekend, I guess I don’t have to, but hey, I guess everybody is working for the weekend…so why not?

So what is on your mind?

Comments

Kayles

on Jul 16, 2004

It's 3:30, I have 1 and a half hours left.
Some people can be totally sensitive and totally insensitive at the same time!
I'm bored.
Why can't some people communicate?
This Yerbamate tea is great! And cheap!
I need to clean my desk.....
This is probably an old thread. Oh well.
I get to go out of town this weekend. How fun!

psychx

on Jul 16, 2004

What an insightful article.

These contacts are killing me.

I wonder if she likes the saying " I think therefore I am".

Why am I typing in double space on JU?

what else should I think about?

Albert Einstein once said "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."

next thread...

dharmagrl

on Jul 16, 2004

My bottom is peeling.

i got quite a nice tan today

i want a new cowboy hat. think i kmght go to the mall tomorrow and get me one.

what's for supper?

hmm...she likes descartes. interesting.

oh the music's playing, must be 1700.

i'm hungry, i'm going to make some soup and call it supper.

Alison Watkins

on Jul 22, 2004

Kayles~

The first step to understand the concept of mind body dualism is to understand the distinction of the mind and body. Your comments seem to be very "mind" oriented. They are more thoughtful than physical. For example, the comment about people being sensitive and insensitive. your exact words were "some people can be sensitve and totally insensitive at the same time. That's emotional expression. If you were to say "such and such was a real jerk to me" then that would be body expression because it was physically portrayed.

Alison Watkins

on Jul 22, 2004

Psychx~

Interresting thought; "I think therefore I am". Once one realizes that the mind and body work together to exist, then I believe a person has found themself.

Here's a funny joke:

Descartes was sitting in a resturaunt.
The waitress said "What would you like?"
He said "I think therefore I am."
Then he disappeared.

dharmagrl

on Jul 22, 2004

That is very unfortunate about your bum, however it was a physical sensation felt by your body. Your thinking tends to be oriented on physical matters in your life. For example, you said that you "wanted a new hat." that want for the new hat makes want to purchase it. Purchasing the hat is a physical activity.

Go buy the hat and use sunscreen!

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