THE DUALIST DILEMMA. This essay is a critique of substance dualism, an ontology embodied by the likes of Rene Descartes. Specifically, the essay attacks several of Descartes own dualist principles.

P.K. Philosophy 420 Essay: 1 The Dualist Dilemma Embodied most emphatically by the writings of Rene Descartes, substance dualism outlines a specific ontological framework for the understanding of mind. Dualism specifically represents a philosophic uneasiness in the idea that mind is merely a projection of the physical, containing no innate or self-defining properties. More specifically, as evidenced in the writings of Descartes, and also Alvin Plantinga, the dualist seeks to ascribe a sort of substance quality …

…of causal relation. After all, has ever a victory been scored for mind in the battle over matter? Works Cited Crumley, Jack S. Problems In Mind. Mountain View: Mayfield Publishing, 2000. Descartes, Rene. "Meditations on First Philosophy, Meditations II and IV." Problems In Mind. Ed. Jack S, Crumley. Mountain View: Mayfield Publishing, 2000. Plantinga, Alvin. "Could Socrates Have Been an Alligator? From: The Nature of Necessity." Problems In Mind. Ed. Jack S. Crumley. Mountain View: Mayfield Publishing, 2000.