Multiplism of the Mind and Its Quality: A Solution to the Mind-Body Problem
Xinmin Gao, Yu Zhang, Guanqi He
Open Journal of Philosophy January 1, 2023 DOI: 10.4236/ojpp.2023.132014 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMind-body theories have reached an impasse, but a broader view of mental phenomena—especially those recognized in Buddhism and other value-seeking Eastern philosophies—offers a way forward. By cataloging the types and qualities of mental phenomena, the thesis identifies at least four distinct kinds of mind-body relation: between the mind and the body as a whole, between the mind as a whole and parts of the body, between types of mental phenomena and parts of the body, and between types of mental phenomena and the body as a whole. This framework suggests that the mind-body problem has multiple, not single, solutions.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism |
| Keywords | Mind–body problem Relation database Value mathematics Epistemology Quality philosophy |
| Key finding | Argues that there are at least four kinds of mind-body relation, expanding beyond traditional dichotomies by incorporating a broader census of mental phenomena and their qualities. |
Abstract
Some scholars concluded that mind-body theories had come to an impasse. Trying to include mental phenomenon addressed in Buddhism and other value-seeking philosophies in eastern cultures, this thesis provides a solution based on a recognition of a wider range of the mental phenomena and the differences of their qualities. Through a “census” of most types and constitutes of mental phenomena and their qualities, we claim that there are at least four kinds of mind-body relation: the relation between the mind and the body as a whole, between the mind as a whole and constitutive parts of the body, between types of mental phenomena and constitutive parts of the body, and between types of mental phenomena and the body as a whole.