Bill cuts himself and, feeling pain, cries out Ouch. Bill's experience seems to have both physical and mental dimensions-how can this be possible? Write an essay discussing Bill's experience in light of the various attempts to understand and resolve the mind-body problem. Focus on explaining the problem, and then present six solutions to it: Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, behaviorism, identity theory, and functionalism. What are the pros and cons of each of these theories-does any one theory seem stronger than the others? Why? Do the theories make any common assumptions about the nature of the mind and body? Is there an alternative way of conceiving of these realities that is invulnerable to the mind-body problem?

Question

Bill cuts himself and, feeling pain, cries out Ouch.   Bill's experience seems to have both physical and mental dimensions-how can this be possible? Write an essay discussing Bill's experience in light of the various attempts to understand and resolve the mind-body problem. Focus on explaining the problem, and then present six solutions to it: Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, behaviorism, identity theory, and functionalism.   What are the pros and cons of each of these theories-does any one theory seem stronger than the others? Why?   Do the theories make any common assumptions about the nature of the mind and body?   Is there an alternative way of conceiving of these realities that is invulnerable to the mind-body problem?

Shawn Armstrong · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : ​ Expository essay, with some room for individual assessments of the competing theories.

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