Question

One of the more important historical themes in our field, still under debate today, is the notion of dualism. Which of the following beliefs are consistent with the basic thrust of dualism?

a) The soul is a meaningless concept; all that exists is matter and energy, and we can understand all human behavior by understanding physical processes in the body (especially the brain).
b) Humans consist of both body and soul - though you can study the material body and its workings scientifically, you can't study the immaterial soul.
c) Every human action, including thought, can be understood as a reflex.
d) All of the above statements are consistent with the view of dualism.

Answer 1

Dualism is the view that humans are composed of matter and soul. Beliefs consistent with dualism include the idea that the soul is a meaningless concept, humans consist of both body and soul, and every human action can be understood as a reflex.

Step-by-step explanation:

Dualism is the view that humans are composed of matter or physical substance (body) and spiritual substance (soul). Beliefs that are consistent with the basic thrust of dualism are:

1. The soul is a meaningless concept; all that exists is matter and energy, and we can understand all human behavior by understanding physical processes in the body (especially the brain).
2. Humans consist of both body and soul - though you can study the material body and its workings scientifically, you can't study the immaterial soul.
3. Every human action, including thought, can be understood as a reflex.

Therefore, option d) All of the above statements are consistent with the view of dualism.