Human Mental States - Essay Example

Mental States I would contend that the patient has mental states. On this view, I would back the position taken by Doctor 2. I base my argument on two main points. First, I dispute the argument that an organic brain is necessary for the existence of mental states. Secondly, I challenge the view that the absence of an organic brain necessarily implies the absence of a non-material soul. The patient lacks an organic brain but has a computer in its place. From the observations of the doctors and from my own assessment of the patient, I would quickly argue that the computer fulfills all the roles that an organic brain could. I would like to think of an organic brain in terms of some physical matter that enables certain physical functions in the body. It does not bear any other qualities other than the physical or biological processes. Therefore, if something else that can function in precisely the same way were replaced in the human skull, then I would expect it to fulfill the roles played by the organic human brain. The replacement would operate just the same way as any other organ transplant functions or some metals inserted into accident victims to perform tasks that had been performed by missing or damaged body parts. Therefore, I would expect the computer to facilitate the existence of mental states in the patient just the same way as the organic human brain does. At this point, I would support the position taken by Doctor 2 about the impossibility of determining whether a person has some mental states. This matter cannot be determined with absolute certainty. However, I still hold onto the view that determining mental states remains a complex issue and could only be subject to matters of observation. The patient has shown some remarkable strength of character including good memory. She also behaves in a manner that is perfectly logical and determinate. It is important to consider some of the factors that determine the existence of a soul outside the condition of an organic brain. This brings into perspective the question of the soul and body. I hold the view that the mind and body are not entirely connected. The mind is independent of the body. The soul relates to the body through some kind of a complex relationship that may not necessarily relate to the organic brain. On this note, it becomes necessary to inquire into the relationship between the immaterial soul and the body. Such an inquiry could also involve a study into the relationship between the mind and the body. A non-material soul could exist even in the absence of the non-organic brain. This is because there is no absolute evidence that links the non-material essences of existence to the material. The relationship could be more complex than the presumed correspondence between the mind and the body. On this matter, it becomes necessary to investigate the precise relationship between the mind and the body from the dimension of their points of contact. The organic brain does not have any other qualities other than the material. It lacks any special qualities that could make it have some kind of exclusive connections to the non-material soul. The computer in the patient’s skull could easily replicate the functions of the organic brain. The fact that the patient is able to act in perfectly normal circumstances is a clear indication that the computer in her head is able to accomplish the tasks normally assigned to the organic brain. If the computer can accomplish some of the observable tasks such as socialization, memory, and interpersonal communication, as it is evidenced in the interaction between my friend and me, and my friend and the doctors, why should it not accomplish any other task? It is only logical to expect the computer to accomplish the other tasks including the facilitation of links between the material world and the non-material world. The computer in my friend’s head has not affected her status as a human being. She does not seem to act like a robot. If she can feel and appreciate my company including expressing her wishes to be discharged, then it follows that she is acting in the same way any human being can act. A computer cannot express wishes because it is a machine. It also cannot appreciate or recognize company. This implies that forces, which are larger and more complex than the organic brain, control most of the issues relating to mental states. My friend in hospital is able to behave in the same way that a normal human being acts. Therefore, we can argue that she is also capable of having mental states. She cannot have the capacity to feel and express wishes and then lack the capacity to have mental states. From the state of my friend in the hospital, I hold the view that the human body acts as a whole and that all its processes are connected. A range of factors that are not necessarily linked to the brain alone determines the existence of mental states. If mental status is controlled exclusively by the non-material soul, then I adopt the position that the soul does not depend on any particular part of the body for it to function. The capacity of the soul to coordinate mental states is therefore tied to something that is more complex and possibly beyond the comprehension of an average human. Dr 3 acknowledges the fact that the computer in my friend’s skull works in a perfect condition. However, he appears to support the idea adopted by Dr 1 regarding the impossibility of my friend to have any mental states because she has a non-organic computer instead of a brain. I find this position contradictory. If a human being acts in a perfect condition, then there should be no limitations with regard to mental states. One can only act in a normal position or abnormal position. Since I have not detected any limitations in the mental functions of my friend in the hospital, I do not think that she is lacking in any other qualities that are assigned to humans. One other important thing is that the doctors have noticed that they are the only ones aware of something peculiar in the skull of the patient. They say that she behaved normally before and after the accident. This supports the view that that the computer in my friend’s head has not transformed any aspect of her being. She is a perfectly normal human with the capabilities of having mental states. I would adopt Descartes distinction of the mind and the body in my attempt to determine the nature of the patient concerning the capacity to have mental states. The mental states are created from the interaction between the mind and the non-material world but the two are distinct (Pollitt, 2012). Descartes argued that the brain is an organ that controls intelligence but it is part of the body (Rozemond, 2002). According to him, only the mind could coordinate the processes of consciousness. As a result it is possible to argue that my friend had her intelligence supplied by the computer but could still have her mind and non-material soul to control the processes of consciousness. This state of consciousness would then transform into the mental states. Up to this point, I hold the view that my friend in the ward is capable of demonstrating a high capacity of mental states and that she has a non-material soul. However, it is not possible to establish the point of connection between the soul and the body. Nevertheless, I would argue that the parts of the body controlled by the computer are the ones that enable the connection between the body and other forces in the non-material world. This makes it possible for the patient to have mental states. This is because the computer makes it possible to perform all the necessary mental processes. It is obvious that the patient has a working mind. Without a mind, the patient would not be able to express wishes and connect with the reality in her world. A mind is non-material just like the non-material soul. Ultimately, the patient has the capacity to develop mental states in ways that are perfectly normal. References Pollitt, K. (2012). The Mind/Body Problem. New York: Seren Books. Rozemond, M. (2002). Descartes's Dualism. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Read More