Page - 39 - in Cyborg Mind - What Brain–Computer and Mind–Cyberspace Interfaces Mean for Cyberneuroethics

Presentation of the Brain–Mind Interface • 39 1. Dualist solutions: these keep Descartes’ distinction between the realm of mind and the realm of matter, but they give different answers about how the two realms relate to each other, including the following: a. Substance dualism: where the mind is formed of a type of nonphysi- cal substance that is not governed by the laws of physics. The brain, on the other hand, is considered to be a kind of physical substance. It also indicates that the two substances may interact with each other in causal relationships. b. Property dualism: where the laws of physics are universally valid, but cannot be used to explain the mind. In this way, the mind exists as a nonphysical entity representing a mere property of the physical brain (a sort of side-effect), but not a specific substance in itself. 2. Monist solutions: these postulate that there is only one realm of being. Mind and matter are both aspects of this realm. There are three main types of monism: a. Physicalism: where the mind consists of matter organised in a specific way. b. Idealism: where only thoughts exist and matter is an illusion. c. Neutral monism: where both mind and matter are aspects of a distinct essence that is not itself identical to either of them. Even though neurobiological research has made a lot of progress in recent years, there are still no comprehensive models of this structurally complex and functionally dynamic system. Thus, the ancient debate about the actual relationship between mind and brain, and between mental and brain states, remains unresolved. As the U.K.-based ethicists Sarah Chan and John Harris indicate, ‘despite modern scientific understanding of the brain, the philo- sophical relationship between brain, body, mind and identity remains elu- sive’.20 However, it is taken for granted that a person’s mental capacities, such as perception, thought, memory, feeling and agency, are dependent upon his or her brain.21 Another reason why the brain is crucially important is because of its key capacity to control a whole body. Indeed, the embodiment of a person is an essential characteristic of his or her existence, identity and capacity for perception and action. The brain is also central to the way in which a person interacts through language and emotion. Again, as Chan and Harris indi- cate: ‘The inherently problematic nature of this can be explored through two related but conceptually distinct questions: “Am I my mind?”, and “Is my mind my brain?” Clearly, “we” are not just our brains or our minds: our sense of identity is closely associated with our physical bodies; our experience of the world, though expressed in one form as brain activity, necessarily includes the phenomenon of embodiment.’22 This open access edition has been made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license thanks to the support of Knowledge Unlatched. Not for resale.