I long concluded that 'the mind"as often used to mean 'personality' 'awareness',"sentience', 'life force' 'spirit" or "soul', and existing seperate from the brain, is nonsense.
It seems clear to me, that what is called "mind" is no more than the dynamic of the living brain. Simplest scientific proof: harm the brain, harm the person, harm 'the mind'.
Electroshock therapy still used to treat depressives unresponsive to drug therapy. Frontal lobotomies were used until recent years to treat patients prone to uncontrolled violence. an unfortunate side effect was the destruction of the person. Most famous case I cant think of is that of Elizabeth Kennedy, sister of President Kennedy.
I also have regular contact with two people who suffered brain damage as the result of a car accident. One has trouble walking and talking. Both have experienced a personality change
The philosophical attempt to deal with the body/mind dichotomy is called monism. This question has never really been resolved. I see my own position a the most rational choice, but I'm agnostic; I can't claim to know with any certainty . I may be wrong.
It seems clear to me, that what is called "mind" is no more than the dynamic of the living brain. Simplest scientific proof: harm the brain, harm the person, harm 'the mind'.
Electroshock therapy still used to treat depressives unresponsive to drug therapy. Frontal lobotomies were used until recent years to treat patients prone to uncontrolled violence. an unfortunate side effect was the destruction of the person. Most famous case I cant think of is that of Elizabeth Kennedy, sister of President Kennedy.
I also have regular contact with two people who suffered brain damage as the result of a car accident. One has trouble walking and talking. Both have experienced a personality change
The philosophical attempt to deal with the body/mind dichotomy is called monism. This question has never really been resolved. I see my own position a the most rational choice, but I'm agnostic; I can't claim to know with any certainty . I may be wrong.