Dualism is a philosophical viewpoint that posits a fundamental division into two separate principles or kinds. It's a perspective applied across many domains and disciplines. In philosophy of mind, dualism suggests the mind and body are distinct entities. The mind, encompassing thought and consciousness, is considered immaterial and immeasurable, while the body is tangible and composed of physical matter. Dualism contrasts with monism, which posits only one fundamental principle, and pluralism, which suggests more than two.
Within dualism, substance dualism asserts that the mind and body are different substances that can exist independently. Property dualism, in contrast, suggests that mental properties are non-physical properties arising from physical substances. René Descartes, a key figure in the development of dualist thought, argued that the mind and body possess fundamentally different properties, with the mind being indivisible and capable of independent thought. Dualism has a long history, tracing back to Plato, and remains a topic of debate in the 21st century. In contemporary philosophy, dualism is a prominent response to the mind-body problem, ranking as the second most popular view among professional philosophers.
