[Buddha-l] Physicalism (was Re: Emptiness)

[Vera, Pedro L.]

Bill Kish wrote:

>Doesn't physicalism commit you to view the mind as a natural
>phenomenon consisting of the same sort of matter/energy that
>comprises the human body ?  If so, then doesn't this amount to
>making the body primary when considering the mind-body continuum ?

This post was addressed to Richard and I'll let him answer with his own reasons, however, I'll jump in as another "physicalist" (a term I don't like) or "materialist" (a term I prefer).

Bill, as I see it, if you restate your question substituting brain for mind, then the conflict inherent in your question disappears. I thnk this was stated succintly by Richard in his post, however, he did bring up "mind-body continuum". This continuum, again, becomes meaningless (or becomes one??) if you restate it as "brain-body continuum". I suppose you could come up with a whole bunch of "organ-body" continua but I think they would be equally pointless. Obviously your kidneys or liver are different and have different functions from your brain, yet they are all functioning within the physical boundaries of space and matter to produce your body and your bodily functions. 

As an aside, just because your kidneys/liver are different from your brain does not mean that they are independent as evidenced by the deteriorating mental functioning seen in end-case kidney and liver failure. Yet another instance, or how physical events within your body originating in a specific organ affect your brain and mental functioning. The reverse is also true, such as increased blood pressure and hormonal changes due to stress ("mental" stress, that is).

>Also, in the view of physicalism you are drawn to, does it make
>sense to distinguish mental properties from physical properties ?
>If so, how does one go about doing so ?

Nope. They are one and the same. "Mental" properties are the physical processes in your brain. However, the physical events in your brain are also susceptible to other physical events, either outside of your body (such as getting hit in the head by a fast-moving baseball or a car) or within your own body (as the examples listed above; many others abound). It is useful, from a practical standpoint, to determine if your deteriorating mental functioning is due to kidney failure or Alzheimer's disease, only from the standpoint of dialysis vs. supportive therapy in an attempt to treat the condition. 

Yikes! (obligatory Buddhist content). I expect all the heated emails from the mentalists in the list!

Best regards,

 

Pedro