Mind-Body Relation. Dualism Materialism or Neither

Topic: Is the mind-body relation best explained by some form of dualism, materialism, or neither? Explain why.

The answer to the question of ‘ What am I?’ has been difficult to be obtained with complete satisfaction and without any arising obstacles. As Taylor mentions, there are several theories that attempt to tackle this topic and offer definitions to satisfy the confusing struggle. Some of them have been able to answer a few of the problems that were brought up, but on the other hand, they bring up many unanswered questions of their own. People tend to agree that the human behaviour is ‘mysterious’ which doesn’t come near explaining the mind-body relation. The theories do try to give answers but all fail to give absolute correct replies, and we are left with endless debates. The two main philosophical suggestions would be materialism and dualism. Each needs to be explained properly to be able to bring forth the problems that come from each, and why neither has had the complete answer to the relation, and an explanation for the persistent existence of debates around this topic.

At first, let us begin with materialism. Over here it is agreed that anything that is not matter cannot possibly belong to the body. And we know one thing for sure; we have a body. So when it comes to the question of ‘What am I?’ or curiosity about your identity, all this theory will offer to you is your body. You are nothing more, and people who tend to go further than that are mistaken, because everything you are seeking is physical and lives in your body. The parts of yourself are not ‘mysteriously’ connected. The advantage of this theory is its simplicity, and avoids the problem of explaining how the mind or soul are connected to the body; but it might be too simple. People are inclined to reject materialism due to the fact that it might sound that you are nothing more than any physical unemotional unthinking object that might be running through your mind at the moment. But...