Contact for further consultation
IB HL Philosophy -
Philosophy Core
(Being Human)
Comprehensive
Questions
(Frequently
Tested)with
Verified Answers
Graded A+
1/
20
, Contact for further consultation
1. Cartesian dualism Answer: Descartes's view that all of reality could ultimately be reduced to
mind and matter. He states that our mind is what makes us who we are, and we can exist without our
body, because the mind and body are separate substances.
2. How did Descartes develop his dualism? Answer: -In his Meditations, he proved the
existence of the self
as purely a thinking thing (res cogitans) and progressed to discuss the existence of extended objects (res
extensa)
-The rest of his argument tries to prove how the mind is ditterent to the body
3. dualism Answer: the presumption that mind and body are two distinct entities that interact
4. physicalism Answer: The theory that human beings can be explained completely and adequately
in terms of their
physical or material components. The mind arises from nothing but physical reactions.
5. Descartes' differences between the mind and the body Answer: the mind is
unextended, rational, eternal and indivisible, whereas the body is extended, non-rational, temporary
and indivisible. He also believes that the mind exists with absolute certainty and can exist without the
body, whereas the body is open to doubt. The body is also changing when the mind is not.
6. Masked Man Fallacy (criticism of Descartes) Answer: -Problem of the 'Masked
1/
20
, Contact for further consultation
Man Fallacy' - where two things do not appear to be the same, but indeed are
-e.g. Clark Kent and superman
-Thus, Descartes may be able to prove an epistemological ditterence between the mind and the body, but
not an ontological one
7. Leibniz' Law Answer: Two objects cannot be the same if they have any ditterences at all. This
supports Descartes'
dualism
8. Chalmers' Zombie Argument Answer: -Argument for dualism
-States that there could be an atom for atom replica of ourselves, but that person would still not contain
our identity
-As we can imagine a replica of ourselves without our identity, it shows that consciousness does not arise
from physical processes
-However, the fact we can imagine our body without a mind goes against Descartes' principle that the body
is independent of the mind
9. Descartes' assumptions (criticism of Descartes) Answer: Descartes suggests that
the mind is non-ex-
tended, but if the mind is simply the brain, it is an extended material object
10. property dualism Answer: -ditterent to Cartesian 'substance' dualism
2/
20
IB HL Philosophy -
Philosophy Core
(Being Human)
Comprehensive
Questions
(Frequently
Tested)with
Verified Answers
Graded A+
1/
20
, Contact for further consultation
1. Cartesian dualism Answer: Descartes's view that all of reality could ultimately be reduced to
mind and matter. He states that our mind is what makes us who we are, and we can exist without our
body, because the mind and body are separate substances.
2. How did Descartes develop his dualism? Answer: -In his Meditations, he proved the
existence of the self
as purely a thinking thing (res cogitans) and progressed to discuss the existence of extended objects (res
extensa)
-The rest of his argument tries to prove how the mind is ditterent to the body
3. dualism Answer: the presumption that mind and body are two distinct entities that interact
4. physicalism Answer: The theory that human beings can be explained completely and adequately
in terms of their
physical or material components. The mind arises from nothing but physical reactions.
5. Descartes' differences between the mind and the body Answer: the mind is
unextended, rational, eternal and indivisible, whereas the body is extended, non-rational, temporary
and indivisible. He also believes that the mind exists with absolute certainty and can exist without the
body, whereas the body is open to doubt. The body is also changing when the mind is not.
6. Masked Man Fallacy (criticism of Descartes) Answer: -Problem of the 'Masked
1/
20
, Contact for further consultation
Man Fallacy' - where two things do not appear to be the same, but indeed are
-e.g. Clark Kent and superman
-Thus, Descartes may be able to prove an epistemological ditterence between the mind and the body, but
not an ontological one
7. Leibniz' Law Answer: Two objects cannot be the same if they have any ditterences at all. This
supports Descartes'
dualism
8. Chalmers' Zombie Argument Answer: -Argument for dualism
-States that there could be an atom for atom replica of ourselves, but that person would still not contain
our identity
-As we can imagine a replica of ourselves without our identity, it shows that consciousness does not arise
from physical processes
-However, the fact we can imagine our body without a mind goes against Descartes' principle that the body
is independent of the mind
9. Descartes' assumptions (criticism of Descartes) Answer: Descartes suggests that
the mind is non-ex-
tended, but if the mind is simply the brain, it is an extended material object
10. property dualism Answer: -ditterent to Cartesian 'substance' dualism
2/
20
