Do You Mind?

1. What is the mind–body debate? Why is it important?
2. Which one do you believe is more correct, monism or dualism? Why?
3. Which approach to monism do you believe is the most correct? Why?
4. Which approach to dualism do you believe is the most correct? Why?
5. Why does research suggest that children are natural dualists?

The Philosophy of Personal Identity

1. What is the bodily continuity theory?
2. What is the psychological continuity theory?
3. Why does Derek Parfit argue that it is possible to have psychological continuity without personal identity?
4. Do you think bodily continuity or psychological continuity plays a more important role in personal identity? Why?

The Mind Is Willing, but the Flesh Is Weak

1. What is mind–body dualism?
2. Why might it be the case that the more people perceive their minds and bodies are separate, the less they engage in behaviors to protect their bodies?
3. “Priming” techniques help to get someone to think about something in a particular way. In Study 1, participants were assigned to one of two groups. How did the groups differ?
4. In Study 1, did the priming procedure affect the results? Explain.
5. In Study 1, which group of participants reported less engagement in health-related behaviors?
6. Did the results of Study 2 replicate or show the same things as the results of Study 1?
7. In Study 3, what were the two conditions?
8. What did the results of Study 3 show?   
9. In Study 4, why did the authors expect people in the dualism condition would be more likely to choose an unhealthy cookbook instead of a healthy one?
10. What did the results of Study 4 show?
11. In Study 5, why did the authors expect people in the dualism condition to eat less healthily than people in the other condition?
12. What were the results of Study 5?
13. Based on the results in this article, what is one thing someone can do to encourage someone else to eat a healthier diet?