Final answer:
Substance dualism is a theory that contrasts with monism, believing in two types of substance: a non-physical mind and a physical body. It's associated with René Descartes and addresses human experiences like consciousness, while posing the Mind/Body Problem regarding interaction between the two substances.
Step-by-step explanation:
Substance dualism is a philosophical position positing the existence of two fundamental and distinct kinds of substances that constitute reality: the physical and the spiritual. This view, which is attributed to philosopher René Descartes, holds that the mind (the non-physical, thinking substance) and the body (the physical, nonthinking substance) are separate entities that can interact. The dualist framework attempts to account for the rich tapestry of human experience, including consciousness, while addressing the relationship between the mind and body.
A substance dualist maintains that physical properties cannot fully account for phenomena such as consciousness, necessitating the recognition of a non-physical substance (the mind or soul). However, this view faces the problem known as the Mind/Body Problem: How can a non-physical mind exert causality upon a physical body? This is one of the central challenges faced by dualist theories, and various responses aim to conceptualize how such interaction is possible.
Despite philosophical challenges and objections, such as the difficulty in explaining how two dissimilar substances can interact, dualists argue that their perspective is necessary to fully capture the essence of human existence. They suggest that monist perspectives, which assert the existence of only a single substance, cannot adequately explain the complexity of human experiences and consciousness.