What is the default position in the mind-body problem?

[Polymath257]

There is all kinds of evidence by which to conclude that correlation is not causation. What sort of evidence do you need?

Of that I am not disagreeing. But in many cases, causation is proven because of correlation without any other causes being in evidence. So, correlation typically implies causation one way or the other *or* a common cause.

In the case of the mind and brain states, there is no other causal available and active experiments have changes conscious state by changing brain states. That *does* imply causality.

 

[Polymath257]

Whether or not a person performs a voluntary bodily movement is not controlled or determined by a deterministic brain process. Correct?

And people are unable to predict with any precise accurracy their non-regular involuntary muscle movements, such as muscle cramps or heart attacks. Right?

Voluntary bodily movements are often highly complex acts (such as those involved in writing a grammatically correct sentence of correctly spelled words). Involuntary bodily movements do not entail such complexity and prior knowledge. Right?

The voluntary and involuntary are generally communicated by different neural networks, right? The muscles involved are generally different, right? The involuntary muscle tends not to allow quick responses by its very nature, right?

 

[Polymath257]

You've done an excellent job here of illustrating why the compatibilist claims about free will--in which free will is the mere execution of one's desires--don't solve any problem regarding the ability to choose one's actions. One still has to choose between which desires one will act on.

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - Compatibilism

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Of that I am not disagreeing. But in many cases, causation is proven because of correlation without any other causes being in evidence. So, correlation typically implies causation one way or the other *or* a common cause.

Really?

15 Insane Things That Correlate With Each Other

 

[Polymath257]

Really?

15 Insane Things That Correlate With Each Other

None of these show causation by directly changing one variable and witnessing a corresponding change in the other.

However, this type of correlation *is* seen when brain states are affected (by drugs, bullets, strokes, etc) and the result is a significant change in mental state.