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Which of the following is not true about Cartesian dualism as discussed in lecture and readings?

a) Mind and body are distinct substances.
b) Mind and body interact with each other.
c) Physical processes can fully explain mental phenomena.
d) Descartes rejected the existence of the material world.

User Jashin
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Final answer:

The statement 'Physical processes can fully explain mental phenomena' is not true about Cartesian dualism, which asserts that the mind and body are distinct substances and mental phenomena cannot be fully explained by physical processes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that is not true about Cartesian dualism, as discussed in lectures and readings, is option c) Physical processes can fully explain mental phenomena. Cartesian dualism, as introduced by René Descartes, posits that the mind and body are two fundamentally distinct substances. The mind, according to Descartes, is a non-material, thinking substance (res cogitans), whereas the body is a material, non-thinking substance (res extensa). Descartes' dualism suggests that mental phenomena cannot be fully explained by physical processes alone, which contradicts the claim in option c. Furthermore, it is important to note that Descartes did not reject the existence of the material world, thereby making option d) unfounded.

There are variations of dualism such as Interactionism where minds and bodies exist and interact, Epiphenomenalism where the body acts on mind but not vice versa, and others that suggest different forms of mind-body relationships.

User Honza R
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