The Modal Argument

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The Modal Argument is an argument that the mind must be a distinct thing from the brain. The idea is that identity is a necessary property, but the mind and brain could possibly be distinct, so they must not be identical.

NOTES

  • physicalism- only physical things exist
    • physical- describable/explainable by physics
    • Types of physicalism
      • ontological physicalism- everything that exists is physical
      • psychological physicalism- the mind is physical
  • Modal Argument
    1. A thing is necessarily identical to itself
    2. So, if the mind and brain are the same thing, then they are necessarily the same
    3. It's possible that the mind and brain not be the same
    4. So, the mind and the brain are not the same
      • By (2), (3); (rule of modal logic)
  • Arguments for premise (3) of the Modal Argument
    • A1: Conceivability Argument
      1. What is conceivable is possible
      2. It's conceivable that we exist apart from our brains
        • S1: dreams
        • S2 (Descartes): brain in a vat/evil genius demon
        • S3: NDEs
      3. So it's possible that our minds are separate from our brains
    • A2 (Descartes): Essential Property Argument
      1. Everything has one essential property that makes it what it is
        • O1 (existentialists): there are no essential properties, only existence
          • R1: implausible
        • O2: there is no reason there couldn't be more than one essential property
      2. For us, it is our thinking alone
        • S1: methodological doubt
          1. In all those other examples, we can doubt whether our bodies exist or not
          2. We can't doubt whether the doubter exists
          3. So, this must be our essential property
        • O3: we don't always think
          • R1: our essential property is our capacity to think
            • O1: psychological physicalists believe the mind's capacity to think is the brain
      3. So, we can exist even if our bodies don't

Further Reading

Most of this can be found in René Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy for free here, or get a more recent translation here

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. I love this argument. I have read through Naming and Necessity and I cannot seem to find it there, at least not so clearly spelled out. It may be that I just have to look more carefully. Can you please tell me where you get it from. If you could droop me just a book title I would be most great full.

    Reply

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