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Mind

Mind. =. ?. Brain. Materialism = Physicalism. What is materialism? Humans are made of only one kind of stuff--matter. We have a mind, but what we call “the mind” is really just a complicated arrangement of matter--namely, the brain.

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Mind

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  1. Mind = ? Brain

  2. Materialism = Physicalism • What is materialism? • Humans are made of only one kind of stuff--matter. • We have a mind, but what we call “the mind” is really just a complicated arrangement of matter--namely, the brain. • A “mental experience” is really just a matter of your brain being in a certain state.

  3. Brain Physiology

  4. No Pain Pain Electro-Encephelograms

  5. A-delta Fibers C-Fibers

  6. Pain • When I have dull throbbing pain, the c-fibers in my brain are activated. • When I have sharp stabbing pain, the a-delta fibers in my brain are activated. • Dualism: Dull throbbing pain isproducedby the activation of my c-fibers. • Materialism: Dull throbbing pain issimply the activation of my c-fibers.

  7. Action • Suppose I scratch my nose. • So my arm muscles must contract. • So nerves to my arm muscles must activate the muscles. • Those nerves must be activated by something in my brain. • How does that activation in the brain happen?

  8. Contract the arm muscle! Arm muscle

  9. Action • If the brain cell activates the terminal button, then the arm muscle will contract. • If the arm muscle contracts without being activated by the brain cell, then something physical has happened without a prior physical cause. • New energy enters the universe. • Violates the Law of Conservation of Energy (pp. 25-27).

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