Mindfulness or Mindlessness?

[Neo-Scholastic]

1) There is a causal relation between brain states and conscious states. Every thought exists because of a brain state. Period.

I think we can all agree with 1. The problem is we have no idea how the brain creates or is involved in conscious states otherwise. We only understand that there is a direct causal relation. It's kinda like if you showed an ancient person how a lamp works. They will quickly see the causal relation between turning on the light and hitting the switch, but they'd have no idea HOW the one caused the other.

We're in a similar position with consciousness.

Actually, and unsurprisingly, I disagree. To quote the title of the famous paper, I don't think you are "Giving Dualism Its Due."

I say, some brain states may accidentally serve as signs of conscious phenomena but there is no known essential cause that requires conscious states to be contingent brain states.