Understanding the Human Body, Mind, and Consciousness
The Body: Living Matter
The human body is not inert matter, but a living organism. As such, the body develops and performs functions that allow it to survive independently. We live, feel, and know through the body, making it an essential element of our existence.
The Mind and Brain
The term ‘mind’ designates the set of activities related to human intelligence and affection, processing information from the outside world and conducting vital functions.
It has received many names, such as soul or spirit. It can also be considered the higher function of the body, but currently, we cannot discuss the mind without considering the brain.
The Mind-Body Problem
Different perspectives on the relationship between mind and body:
- Monism: Mind and body are not separate realities but different aspects of the same reality.
- Dualism: The mind and body are separate realities with their own rules.
- Physicalism: Mental activity depends on the brain and can be explained by physical causes.
- Mind/Brain Activity: Mental activity is simply brain activity.
- Behaviorism: All mental activity translates into specific behavior.
- Functionalism: The mind is not simply a set of physical brain states but a complex network of cerebral states and behaviors.
The Enigma of Consciousness
Forms of consciousness:
- Immediate Consciousness: The possibility of knowing our presence directly, without intermediaries.
- Mediated Consciousness: Involves intermediaries, including external reality and the activity of other human beings.
Intentional Character of Consciousness
Consciousness always has an intention, pointing to something other than itself; it is always consciousness of something.
Illustrations of Consciousness and Activity of Consciousness
What we call consciousness is based on a set of unconscious feelings and ideas that only appear in dreams and failed actions.
Desire: Absence and Source
Features of Desire:
- A Lack: It implies the absence of something one wants to possess.
- Living in Excess: It goes beyond necessities, always reaching for possibilities and excess.
- Based on Conflict and Unrest: A desire ceases when its objective is achieved, but new desires arise.
Acceptance and Rejection of Desire
- Recognizing the value of desire as a fundamental aspect of human beings: desire is an essential reality.
- Considering the necessity of dominating desire if it is perceived as something negative: we must fight desire to obtain knowledge and happiness.
- Stoicism: Believes it is necessary to use reason to dominate desire. True wisdom consists of submitting desire to nature and destiny.
- Epicureanism: Argues that the most important thing is to cultivate pleasure to achieve serenity.
Passion
Passion is an inclination or tendency that cannot be dominated. Postures:
- Passion must be dominated, or it will dominate us.
- Without passion, there is no true knowledge: When one knows something, it must be with passion, so we are motivated.