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Students Zone / Questions / Chapter 15: The Problem of Dualism

1. In what ways can we distinguish between the physical and the mental?

2. Explain what Ryle means by a ‘category mistake’? How does his form of behaviourism deal with the problem he sees in Descartes’ account?

3. Explain and discuss the characteristic differences between mind and body according to Descartes? How does he account for the interaction between the two?

4. Is it reasonable to argue that computers have minds?

5. If our bodies and minds are different substances, how can we account for their interaction? Are the different accounts for this interaction convincing?