Substance dualism is necessary for beings to have free will Essay

Substance dualism is necessary for beings to have free will - Essay Example Therefore, the mind can be distinctly perceived as a whole autonomous entity that does not pertain an extension, correspondingly, the body can also be though as an extension that pertains no element of thought meaning that God could enable the two to exist distinctly from each other, ergo the mind and body are actually distinct from each other. Concisely, Descartes is really trying to make the point that the mind and body are two entirely different entities each set for its own purpose; the mind is a thinking thing that exists in the abstract devoid of physical attributes such as size shape or color while the body is a non-thinking thing that is bound and limited by the laws of physics. Free will on the other hand can be defined as the inherent capacity to make autonomous choices without being constrained or manipulated by any external limitations, these factors range from physical constrains such as imprisonment to metaphysical and logical factors social psychological ones. The rela tionship between dualism and free will is mutually inclusive since without substance dualism, free will could not be logically expected to exist; this is because in the absence of dualism, it would mean that humans are entirely physical beings. Essentially, every action one takes in the physical realm is subject to the rules of physics which do not however apply to the mental faculties. The subordination of the physical bodies implies that while human beings may perceive themselves to be free, their freedom does not extend past the point at which they are bound by these laws. Take for example the modes of human movements, human being can walk and they one can even argue that they choose to walk, however the very action is subjected to the law of motion and gravity and should one be put in a situation where these laws do not function they would be forced to adjust their means of propulsion. Free will does not just imply that one is free to do what they do but also to do otherwise sho uld they so choose, however human beings cannot decide not to walk but instead to fly since even if they may will it, and their bodies are not free to carry it out. Under this premises, free will cannot exist unless the body was to somewhat be viewed as a separate construct from the mind which is essentially what the theory of substance dualism does. Unlike the body, the mind is not subject to the rules of nature and it can construe anything by gravity can simulate the feeling of flight and one may even argue that one can fly, in their imagination without a physical ceiling or limit, for example when one dreams of flight, they may even expense the exhilaration and fear of being airborne just the way they would have if they were actually flying. This is despite the fact that humans cannot actually fly, nevertheless the mind not being bound physical law do whatsoever it wishes, this is the very concept that philosophers and theologians employ to justify the notion of life after death or reincarnation. The assumption is that after the body has died the soul will live on since it is not an organic construct and therefore not subject to the degeneration which the body inevitable has to undergo after death. Several arguments have been