What is the "Mind/Body Problem"?
The philosopher Descartes famously held that the mind is an immaterial, thinking substance entirely distinct from the body. If he is right, it is hard to see how mind and body could ever interact - for how can something immaterial causally affect something physical?
Most contemporary philosophers would reject this Cartesian dualism but the problem of what the mind is, and how it relates to the body, or brain, remains pressing today.
Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Dr Genia Schönbaumsfeld, discussed this issue at the University of Southampton's Philosophy Cafe at the John Hansard Gallery; an event organised by Lifelong Learning in Humanities. Click on the link at the bottom to hear her talk.
Philosophy Cafe talks are scheduled each month and cover a wide range of topics, for more information visit the Lifelong Learning website.