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Are you a materialist or a dualist?

Which one best represents your view?


  • Total voters
    48

Simplexity

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Contingent means based upon. In your case you basically stated that your knowledge was contingent (based on) upon there being a possibility for future alterations. That is why you will often hear as planning for consequences in the future as contingency planning. You are basing your beliefs on what is currently accepted but allowing for the possibilities of newer falsifcations that could necessarily effect your whole construct.

On second reading, I think it would still fall under the bracket of contingency because you are "understanding" that you do not know all that can be comprehended, so you are leaving room for the fact that there is an unforeseen.
 

ajblaise

Minister of Propagandhi
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Yeah, in short:

# Liable to occur but not with certainty; possible:
# Dependent on conditions or occurrences not yet established; conditional
 
T

ThatGirl

Guest
It kills me to say it, but yes, I often lack certainty and think there are things I have not yet considered. I guess I am contingient. Not sure that applied.
 

Simplexity

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I'm not ashamed to admit I'm solely a man of quantity. Quality is too hard and difficult a commodity to aspire for. Ill settle for the easier and more plentiful route.
 

Mole

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Mar 20, 2008
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Metaphoric Dualism

Materialism

The philosophy of materialism holds that the only thing that can be truly proven to exist is matter, and is considered a form of physicalism. Fundamentally, all things are composed of material and all phenomena (including consciousness) are the result of material interactions; therefore, matter is the only substance.
Materialism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dualist

In philosophy of mind, dualism is a set of views about the relationship between mind and matter, which begins with the claim that mental phenomena are, in some respects, non-physical.
Dualism (philosophy of mind - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)


I'm a materialist. Believing in dualism (and often by extension - souls, spirits, God(s), New Age..) sounds nice, but I know the main arguments in favor of dualism, and none convince me so far or cause me to doubt materialism. The 'subjectivity of mental states' argument is I think the strongest argument for dualism.

I'd like to what you all think on the subject and where you stand.

I would like to be a materialist but metaphors keep staring me in the face.

A metaphor as you remember takes the form -

As A is to B, so C is to D.

So a metaphor is a comparison of relationships - so a metaphor just doesn't actually exist.

And not only does our language depend on metaphors but so does our perception.

In that we perceive by making distinctions. That is, we perceive by making comparisons - just like metaphors themselves.

So you see, I can't help myself - God help me, or perhaps dear reader, you will forgive me - but I'm a dualist.

I can't help but see that our very perception depends on dualism; and of course metaphors themselves are not only dualist but don't actually exist at all.

So for me, materialism is out of the question.

And for me, one dimensionalism or monoism, is quite impossible.

So I am a metaphoric dualist.

And unfortunately I know this is transgressive, and my only hope is to seduce you into transgressing with me -

I mean just think how natural it is - you have dual hands, dual eyes and even dual ears.

Dualism is as natural to you as breathing in through your dual nostrils into your dual lungs.

Everything comes in twos - even me and you.
 

Mole

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I'm not ashamed to admit I'm solely a man of quantity. Quality is too hard and difficult a commodity to aspire for. Ill settle for the easier and more plentiful route.

What has eluded you sir, is that is that a sufficient quantity morphs into quality.

So you are destined, doomed, fated for quality.

Indeed some of us suspect you are man of quality already, but humble with it.

So you walk with Kings but keep the common touch.
 

vince

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What has eluded you sir, is that is that a sufficient quantity morphs into quality.

says who ?

I'm definitely a dualist, without the hocus pocus (god, souls, etc.). I'll more easily doubt the outside, physical world (perhaps a delusion of some sort) rather than my own internal, mental world.
 

Mole

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I'm definitely a dualist, without the hocus pocus (god, souls, etc.). I'll more easily doubt the outside, physical world (perhaps a delusion of some sort) rather than my own internal, mental world.

I am suggesting your own internal mental world is dualist.

It is dualist in its perception and dualist in organisation into metaphor.

Naturally the one dimensional deny this and appeal to the material world for assistance.

Unfortunately we perceive the material world through our dualistic senses and organise our preceptions through dualistic metaphors.

So you and I can see that materialism is special pleading.

And actually materialism is simply a reaction to supernatural religion.

So materialism is limited in its origins, while you and I, not being supernaturalists, can see the world for what it is - dual.
 

SolitaryWalker

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Materialism

The philosophy of materialism holds that the only thing that can be truly proven to exist is matter, and is considered a form of physicalism. Fundamentally, all things are composed of material and all phenomena (including consciousness) are the result of material interactions; therefore, matter is the only substance.
Materialism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dualist

In philosophy of mind, dualism is a set of views about the relationship between mind and matter, which begins with the claim that mental phenomena are, in some respects, non-physical.
Dualism (philosophy of mind - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)


I'm a materialist. Believing in dualism (and often by extension - souls, spirits, God(s), New Age..) sounds nice, but I know the main arguments in favor of dualism, and none convince me so far or cause me to doubt materialism. The 'subjectivity of mental states' argument is I think the strongest argument for dualism.

I'd like to what you all think on the subject and where you stand.

You could also be a neutral monist (think the fundamental stuff of reality is a hybrid of matter and mind), or you could also be an immaterialist, think reality is purely mental.
 

redacted

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Nov 28, 2007
Messages
4,223
You could also be a neutral monist (think the fundamental stuff of reality is a hybrid of matter and mind), or you could also be an immaterialist, think reality is purely mental.

I figure he's basically trying to make the distinction between dualism and monism.

Because you're right; dualism/materialism is a false dichotomy.
 

INTJMom

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Materialism

The philosophy of materialism holds that the only thing that can be truly proven to exist is matter, and is considered a form of physicalism. Fundamentally, all things are composed of material and all phenomena (including consciousness) are the result of material interactions; therefore, matter is the only substance.
Materialism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dualist

In philosophy of mind, dualism is a set of views about the relationship between mind and matter, which begins with the claim that mental phenomena are, in some respects, non-physical.
Dualism (philosophy of mind - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)


I'm a materialist. Believing in dualism (and often by extension - souls, spirits, God(s), New Age..) sounds nice, but I know the main arguments in favor of dualism, and none convince me so far or cause me to doubt materialism. The 'subjectivity of mental states' argument is I think the strongest argument for dualism.

I'd like to what you all think on the subject and where you stand.
Is there another choice?
I am not a materialist.
 

FDG

pathwise dependent
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When you look at something, you collapse a wave. Is it our mind that causes this collapse? This is an answer I cannot give (and that has not been given yet, to my knowledge). Therefore, given that materialism negates this possibility altogether, I have to place myself in the dualist category.
 

Mole

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When you look at something, you collapse a wave. Is it our mind that causes this collapse? This is an answer I cannot give (and that has not been given yet, to my knowledge). Therefore, given that materialism negates this possibility altogether, I have to place myself in the dualist category.

Good on you mate - 3 and counting!
 

Mole

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Is there another choice?
I am not a materialist.

But have you filled out the questionnaire above? You might bring us up to 4.

You must remember we are duellists, making the world safe for dualism.
 
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