Concepts in the philosophy of mind
In the philosophy of mind, mind–body dualism denotes either the view that mental phenomena are non-physical, or that the mind and body are distinct and separable. Thus, it encompasses a set of views about the relationship between mind and matter, as well as between subject and object, and is contrasted with other positions, such as physicalism and enactivism, in the mind–body problem.Aristotle shared Plato's view of multiple souls and further elaborated a hierarchical arrangement, corresponding to the distinctive functions of plants, animals, and humans: a nutritive soul of growth and metabolism that all three share; a perceptive soul of pain, pleasure, and desire that only humans and other animals share; and the faculty of reason that is unique to humans only.
5 episodes
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Cogito Ergo Sum
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss one of the most famous statements in philosophy, 'Cogito ergo sum', Rene Descartes' attempt to establish what we can truly know.
28 April 2011
Featuring: Susan James, John Cottingham, Stephen Mulhall
Consciousness
Melvyn Bragg examines why the elusiveness and impenetrability of consciousness continues to fascinate both philosophers and scientists. Is the human mind just not built to understand its own basis?
25 November 1999
Featuring: Ted Honderich, Roger Penrose
Perception and the Senses
Melvyn Bragg discusses perception: how the brain reacts to the mass of data continually crowding it and examines what governs our perception of the world.
28 April 2005
Featuring: Richard Gregory, David Moore, Gemma Calvert
The Soul
Melvyn Bragg discusses the spectrum of ideas about the soul, the extent of human individuality, and the history of thought concerning immortality and the afterlife.
6 June 2002
Featuring: Richard Sorabji, Ruth Padel, Martin Palmer
Time
Melvyn Bragg examines the history of mankind’s attempt to understand the nature of time. Does it exist independently of our perception of it, or is it merely a figment of our imagination?
30 December 1999
Featuring: Neil Johnson, Lee Smolin