[LINK] electromagnetic fields effect brain activity

[Ivan Trundle]

On 11/01/2007, at 10:21 AM, Stewart Fist wrote:

> The problem here is the old one of causality.  Surely, unless you  
> believe
> the 'mind' is something non-physical -- eg a soul -- then it is the  
> body
> that effects the mental state, rather than the other way around.

You're an epiphenomenalist, then... (said in the nicest possible way)

Not wishing to embark on a philosophical discourse as to the  
composition of the mind (dualism, monism, functionalism, non- 
reductive physicality, etc), I'm of the view that since the mind is  
capable of constructing thoughts, feelings and emotions independently  
from the body (not in a literal sense), then both can occur. I think  
that the jury is out on where the soul lives.

But I defer to Plato, Descartes, Aristotle, Jackson, et al in this.  
They seem to have grappled with this in more depth that I ever  
managed at uni.

For those with an interest in this area, I can recommend a well- 
written wikipedia topic:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_mind

--
Ivan Trundle
http://itrundle.com ivan at itrundle.com
ph: +61 (0)418 244 259 fx: +61 (0)2 6286 8742
skype: callto://ivanovitchk