ABSTRACT
The problem of the relationship between mind and body has occupied philosophers from the beginning and is likely to continue to do so into the forseeable future. A rough summary of the ideas about the mind that have been advanced is depicted in Figure 5. Recently, the problem has re-emerged in science itself, largely triggered by advances in computer technology, which has set off lively, not to say passionate, discussions in the scientific literature. But whether science has anything meaningful to say on the topic, particularly where consciousness is involved, is certainly not clear. Science can, however, offer a definition that puts mind to some degree within its scope. Thus, the naturalistic view of mentality is that it is a feature of the enormously complex interactions that people have with the natural and social environment, a feature that has evolved over time. Without being an out-and-out dualist it is difficult to see anything wrong with that.
