This paper contrasts Cartesian and neo-Aristotelian conceptions of mind, arguing that only the latter coherently integrates with evolutionary theory. The Cartesian dualism, separating mind and body, creates an unbridgeable gap between subjective experience and neural activity, hindering evolutionary explanations. The neo-Aristotelian view, defining the mind as the capacities of intellect and will, extended by viewing organisms as open thermodynamic systems with heredity, offers a framework for explaining consciousness' evolution.
Publisher
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
Published On
Sep 15, 2020
Authors
Harry Smit, Peter Hacker
Tags
Cartesian dualism
neo-Aristotelian
evolutionary theory
consciousness
mind-body integration
subjective experience
neural activity
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