Triadic Structure of the Mind

Francesco Belfiore was a professor of internal medicine at the University of Catania, Italy. He worked in medical research and has published many articles and several monographs. In recent years, he has reawakened his long-standing interest in philosophy and has conceived a coherent philosophical system, outlined originally in the first edition of the present book (The Structure of the Mind, University Press of America, 2004).

• Chapter 1—The Structure and Functioning of the Mind1.1?The Triadic-Bidirectional Mind: An Overview1.1.1?From Descartes’s “Cogito” to the Triadic Structure of the Mind1.1.1.1?Further Considerations on the Cartesian “Cogito”1.1.1.2?The Triadic Structure of the Mind as Understood by Reflections Other than the “Cogito”1.1.1.3?Interrelation of the Three Mind Components, of Their Activities, and Their Products1.1.1.4?The Bidirectional Activity of the Mind and the Origin of the Moral Values1.1.1.5?Mind as an Evolving Entity, whose Evolution is the Moral Good1.1.1.6?Defining the Triadic-Bidirectional Mind1.1.1.7?Advantages of the Conception of the Unitary-Triadic Mind1.1.1.8?Overview of the Judgment Criteria for the Various Mind Products1.1.1.8.1?Judgment by “Specific Criteria”1.1.1.8.2?Judgment by the “Value Criterion,” Valid for All Mind Products1.1.1.9?The Triadic-Bidirectional Mind and the Rest of the World1.1.1.10?A Note on Terminology1.1.2?The Mind: Its Outward (or Selfish) Activities1.1.2.1?Intellect: Its Outward or Selfish Activity1.1.2.1.1?Ideas, Sentiments, and Actions as Objects of Intellect1.1.2.1.2?Intellect as Support of Sensitiveness and Power: “Imaginary Ideas” and “Ideas-of-Projects”1.1.2.1.3?The Branches of the Knowledge of Mind1.1.2.2?Sensitiveness: Its Outward Activity1.1.2.2.1?Sensitiveness and Its Outward Products: Sentiments1.1.2.2.2?Sensitiveness as Support of Intellect and of Power1.1.2.3?Power: Its Outward Activity and the Physical World1.1.2.3.1?Power and Actions1.1.2.3.2?The Physical World1.1.2.3.3?Power as Support of Intellect and Sensitiveness1.1.3?The Mind: Its Inward (or Moral) Activities and the Con-sciousness1.2?The Conception of the Unitary-Triadic Mind Compared to the Main Theories of Mind1.2.1?The Main “Dualistic” Theories of Mind1.2.2?The Main “Non-Dualistic” and “Non-Monistic” Theories of Mind1.2.3?The Main “Monistic” Theories of Mind1.2.3.1?The “Triadic Monism” and Other Monistic Theories of Mind1.2.3.2?The Uniqueness of the “Triadic-Bidirectional Mind”: Compari- son with Other Philosophical Doctrines1.2.4?The Epistemological Implications of the Conception of the Unitary-Triadic Mind1.2.5? Introspection and Self-Knowledge1.2.5.1?General Concepts1.2.5.2?Intellect and the Rational Awareness1.2.5.3?Sensitiveness and the Emotional Awareness1.2.5.4?Power and the Practical Awareness1.2.5.5?Re-Interpretation of Some Views on Introspection and Self-KnowledgeChapter 2—A Comprehensive Ontological Conception: The Triadic Monism2.1—The Triadic Monism2.2?Comparison with Other Philosophical Conceptions2.2.1?Comparison with Other Unitary Conceptions2.2.2?Comparison with Other Conceptions Based on a “One and Trine” Entity2.2.2.1?Comparison with Other Philosophical Systems2.2.2.2?Comparison with Some Religious ConceptionsChapter 3—Intellect and Its Activity: Knowledge and Its Limits3.1?The Knowledge of Power: The Physical World and the Actions of Man3.1.1?The Knowledge of the Physical World3.1.1.1?Objects and the Ideas-of-Object3.1.1.1.1?Individual Objects of the Supra-Molecular World3.1.1.1.2?Identical Particles of the Molecular-Atomic-Subatomic World3.1.1.2?Objects of the Physical World3.1.1.2.1?Similar and Yet Diverse Objects of the Supra-Molecular World3.1.1.2.2?The Classes of Identical Particles of the Molecular-Atomic-Subatomic World3.1.1.2.3?A Unifying Hypothesis of the Physical World: A World Made of Classes of Similar and Yet Diverse Objects3.1.1.3?The Creation of “Classes” and “Sets”3.1.1.3.1?Heterogeneous Classes Made of Similar but not Identical Objects3.1.1.3.2?Homogeneous Classes Made of Identical Particles3.1.1.3.3?A Unifying Hypothesis: Are All Classes Made of Similar and Yet Diverse Objects?3.1.1.4?Objects, Properties, and Classes: Further Considerations3.1.1.4.1?Physical versus Non-Physical Objects and Classes3.1.1.4.2?More on Objects, and Properties3.1.1.5?Classes and the Knowledge Process3.1.1.6?Classes and Some Logical Paradoxes3.1.1.7?Classes, Numbers, Mathematics and Geometry3.1.1.8?Relations Between Objects and Classes3.1.1.9?Relations in Static Conditions3.1.1.9.1?Relation of the Object with Itself (Identification)3.1.1.9.2?Relations Between Objects (or Inter-Objects Relations)3.1.1.9.3?Object-Class Relations3.1.1.9.4?Relations Class-to-Class (or Inter-Classes Relations)3.1.1.10?Relations in Dynamic Conditions (Dynamic Relations): Events3.1.1.10.1?Dynamic Relations of the Object with Itself (Events Affecting a Single Object)3.1.1.10.2?Dynamic Relations Between Objects: (I) The Cause-Effect Relation3.1.1.10.3?Dynamic Relations Between Objects: (II) Relations of Action3.1.1.10.4?The Creation of Transformation Laws (Scientific Laws)3.1.1.11?The Starting Point of Knowledge and Its Progressive Development3.1.1.11.1?The Subject-Object Relation as the Starting Point of Knowledge3.1.1.11.2?Subject-Object Relation and Quantum Mechanics3.1.1.11.3?The Limits of Knowledge: The “Phenomenon” and the “Noumenon”3.1.1.11.4?The Role of the Subconscious3.1.1.12?Acquisition of New Knowledge of the Physical World by Inductive Reasoning: From Properties to Objects, Classes, Events, Laws and Theories3.1.1.12.1?Assembling Properties into Objects and Observed Changes into Events3.1.1.12.2?Grouping Objects into Classes3.1.1.12.3?Grouping Events into Transformation Laws (Scientific Laws) and Theories3.1.1.13?Utilization of Acquired Knowledge by Deductive Reasoning: Explanations, Previsions and Applications3.1.1.13.1?Explanations3.1.1.13.2?Previsions3.1.1.13.3?Applications (Experiments and Inventions)3.1.1.14?Methods of Reasoning for the Acquisition of New Knowledge3.1.1.14.1?Propositions about Objects, Events, Classes and Laws3.1.1.14.2?Particular Propositions about Objects and Events of the Supra-Molecular World3.1.1.14.3?Propositions about Classes and Transformation Laws of the Supra-Molecular World3.1.1.14.4?Propositions About Identical Particles (and Their Homo-genous Classes) and Regular Events (and Their General Laws) of the Molecular-Atomic-Subatomic World3.1.1.15?Methods of Reasoning in the Utilization of Acquired Knowledge3.1.1.15.1?Arguments about Objects and Classes of the Supra-Molecular World3.1.1.15.2?Arguments about Objects (Particles) and Classes of the Molecular-Atomic-Subatomic World3.1.1.15.3?Arguments about Events and Laws of the Supra-Molecular World3.1.1.15.4?Arguments about Events and Laws of the Molecular-Atomic-Subatomic World3.1.1.15.5?Comments to the Basic Logical Principles3.1.1.15.6?More on Logical Principles3.1.1.16—Terminology about Precision/Imprecision and Certainty/Uncertainty of Knowledge and Previsions3.1.2?Knowledge of Power and Actions3.2?Knowledge of Intellect and Ideas (Intellect and Ideas as an Object of Knowledge)3.3?Knowledge of Sensitiveness and Sentiments3.4?Language3.4.1—General Concepts on Language.3.4.1.1—What is Language?3.4.1.2—Language as Speech Act3.4.2—Analyzing Language3.4.2.1?Language as Expression of Knowledge3.4.2.1.1?Language as an Expression of Ideas and Moral Thoughts (Knowledge) about the Physical World and about Ideas and Moral Thoughts Themselves3.4.2.1.2?Language as an Expression of the Knowledge of Sentiments and of Moral Feelings3.4.2.2?Language as an Expression of Sentiments and Moral Feeling (Poetic Language, Command and Moral Language)Chapter 4—Sensitiveness and Its Activity4.1?Sensitiveness as a Generator of Sentiments4.1.1?Sentiments and Their Objects4.1.2?Sentiments as Related to Ideas and Actions4.1.3?Judgment of Sentiments4.2?Expression of Sentiments and Works of Art4.2.1?Expression of Sentiments by Language and the Literary Arts4.2.1.1?Literary Arts4.2.1.2?Autonomy of Art4.2.1.3?Artistic versus Scientific Content4.2.1.4?Art as Expression of Universal Sentiments4.2.1.5?Art Critics and the Objectivity of the Value of Art4.2.1.6?Art and Beauty4.2.1.7 ?Representation, Expression and Understanding4.2.1.8 ?The Problem of Fiction4.2.1.9?Comment on the View of Art as Expression of Universal Sentiments4.2.2?Expression of Sentiments by Sound4.2.3?Expression of Sentiments by Imaging (Visual Arts)4.2.3.1?Painting and Sculpture4.2.3.2?Architecture4.2.3.3?Expression of Sentiments by a Combined Use of Language, Sound and Imaging (Behavior, Theater, Cinema)4.2.4?The Works of Art as Aesthetic Objects4.2.5?Art and Morality4.3?Comparison with Other Philosophical Conceptions of Art: Critique and Reinterpretation4.3.1?The Main Aesthetic Theories: An Overview4.3.1.1?Expressivism4.3.1.2?Hedonism4.3.1.3?Cognitivism4.3.1.4?Institutionalism4.3.1.5?Deconstruction4.3.1.6?Structuralism4.3.1.7?Representationalism4.3.1.8?Normative Theory of Art4.3.1.9?Post-Modern, Hermeneutic, and Existentialist Views on Art4.3.1.10?Comment4.3.2?The Conceptions of Art of Major Thinkers4.3.2.1?Pre-Kantian Conceptions: Hume’s Aesthetics4.3.2.2?Kantian Conception4.3.2.2.1? Kant and the Aesthetic Judgment4.3.2.2.2? The Genius4.3.2.3?Schopenhauer on Art4.3.2.4?Hegel on Art4.3.2.5?Tolstoy on Art4.3.2.6?The Aesthetics of Croce and Collingwood4.3.2.6.1?Croce’s Aesthetics4.3.2.6.2?Collingwood’s Aesthetics4.3.2.7?Dewey’s Aesthetics4.3.2.8?Art and Analytic Philosophy: Wittgenstein’s Aesthetics4.3.2.9?Post-Modern and Hermeneutic Philosophy and the Art4.3.2.9.1?Lyotard’s Aesthetics4.3.2.9.2?Heidegger’s Aesthetics4.3.2.9.3?Gadamer’s Aesthetics4.3.2.9.4?Vattimo’s Aesthetics4.3.2.9.5?Sartre’s Aesthetics4.3.2.10?Other Views on Art and Aesthetics4.3.3?The Definition of Art4.3.4?The Effects of Arts on SocietyChapter 5—Power and Its Activity: Man’s Action in Society and in the Physical World5.1?Power as a Generator of Actions5.2?Actions as Related to Ideas and Sentiments5.3?Judgment of Actions5.3.1?Judgment of Actions by the Strength Criterion5.3.2?Judgment of Actions by the Value Criterion5.3.2.1?Universal Actions and The Origin of Human Society5.3.2.2?From the Particular Action of the Individual to the Universal Actions in Society5.3.2.3?Political Philosophy and the Justification of Social Institutions5.3.2.3.1?Correct-Rating of Actions Entails a “Power-Driven Society”5.3.2.3.2?Wrong-Rating of Actions Entails a “Violence-Injured Society”5.3.2.3.3?Spinoza’s Thought and the Justification of Power5.3.2.3.4?The Conditions for a Meaningful Voting5.3.2.3.5?Social Institutions and Their Nature5.3.2.4?Philosophy of Law: Laws as Community-Shared Projects that Define Classes of Actions5.3.2.4.1?The Finality of Laws (and of the Universal Actions that They Define) and Political Parties5.3.2.4.2?The Nature of Laws5.3.2.4.3? Constitution and Constitutional Norms5.3.2.4.4?AdjudicationChapter 6—The Inward/Moral Activity of Mind: Morality (or Consciousness)6.1?Consciousness as a Generator of Moral Events (Moral Thoughts, Moral Feelings, and Moral Acts)6.1.1?Moral Events6.1.2?Characteristics Peculiar to Moral Events6.1.3—Mind Evolution as the Moral Good6.1.3.1?Understanding the Moral Good and Morally-Good Acts6.1.3.2?Moral Thoughts and Moral Principles versus Moral Feelings and Moral Values6.1.3.3?Morally-Good and Morally-Bad States6.1.3.4?Distinction and Relationship between the Moral and the Selfish Mind Products (and Their Judgment Criteria)6.1.3.4.1?Distinction between the “Moral” and the “Selfish” Mind Activities and Products (and Their Judgment Criteria)6.1.3.4.2?Relationship between the Moral and the Selfish Mind Activities and Products (and Their Judgment Criteria)6.1.3.5?Outward versus Inward Mind Activities: Some Examples6.1.3.6?A Very Short Meta-ethical Comment6.1.4?Examples of Selfish/Personal Actions and Moral Acts6.2?Comparison with Other Theories of Consciousness6.2.1?Theories of Consciousness6.2.2?Consciousness and the Brain6.3?Judgment of Moral Events6.3.1?Judgment by the Morality Criterion6.3.1.1?The Morality Criterion6.3.1.1.1?Judgment of Moral Thoughts and Conceptions6.3.1.1.2?Judgment of Moral Feelings6.3.1.1.3?Judgment of Moral Acts6.3.1.2?Mention to Other Moral Conceptions6.3.1.3?Mind Evolution versus Other Proposed Forces that Move Mind and the World6.3.1.4?Demonstrative Examples: Dialogs between a “Good” Person and His Opponents6.3.2?Judgment by the Value Criterion6.3.2.1—Judging Moral Events by the Value Criterion6.3.2.2—Particular versus Universal Mind Products: An Overview6.3.3?Morality and Politics6.3.4?Equality as Related to Morality and Politics6.3.4.1?Equality between Individuals: The Right to Equal Treatment6.3.4.2?Inequality between Individuals: The Right to Unequal (Individualized) Treatment6.3.5?Supererogation, Moral Formalism, and Fanaticism6.4?Moral Choices and Moral Motivations6.4.1?Moral Choices and the Imprecision in Defining the Moral Good6.4.1.1? General Aspects6.4.1.2?Certainty and Uncertainty in Moral Choices6.4.1.2.1?”Moral Choices” versus “Procedural Choices”6.4.1.2.2?Ground “Morally-Certain” Moral Choices6.4.1.2.3?“Morally-Certain/Cognitively-Imprecise” Moral Choices6.4.1.2.4?“Cognitively-Imprecise/Predictively-Uncertain” Procedural Choices6.4.1.3?Moral Choices in the Private and Public (Political) Life6.4.1.4?Moral Motivation: A Multi-factorial Conception6.4.1.4.1?The Internalist Position6.4.1.4.2?The Externalist Position6.4.1.4.3?Conclusion on Moral Motivation6.4.2— On the Weakness of the Will6.4.3?Defining Moral Responsibility6.4.4?Terminology of Mind Products and the Disappearance of the “Will”6.5?Free Will6.5.1?Freedom of Selfish Decisions and Actions and of Moral Decisions and Acts6.5.1.1?Freedom of Selfish/Personal Decisions and Actions6.5.1.2?Freedom of Moral Decisions and Moral Acts (Free Will)6.5.2?Choosing Between Moral Projects and Selfish/Personal Projects6.5.3?Comparison with Other Conceptions of Freedom6.5.3.1?Incompatibilist Theories6.5.3.2?Critical Comment6.5.4? Apparent Freedom Is Due to the Extreme Complexity of the Brain6.6?Moral Responsibility Without Freedom6.7?The Language of Morality (Moral Language)Chapter 7—Analytic and Continental Philosophy: Critique and Reinterpretation7.1—Analytic Philosophy7.1.1—Russell’s thought7.1.2—Wittgenstein’s thought7.1.3—Quine’s thought7.2—Continental Philosophy: Post-Modernism, Hermeneutics, Existentialism7.2.1—Post-Modern Philosophy7.2.1.1—Nietzsche and Post-Modernism7.2.1.2—Kuhn's Thought7.2.1.3—Feyerabend's Thought7.2.1.4—Rorty's Thought7.2.1.5—Lyotard7.2.1.6—Vattimo and Post-Modernism7.2.1.7—A Short Comment of Post-Modernism7.2.2—Hermeneutic and Existentialist Philosophy7.2.2.1—My Hermeneutic Theory7.2.2.2—Critical Reinterpretation of the Doctrines of the Main Hermeneutic Thinkers7.2.2.2.1—Nietzsche and Hermeneutics7.2.2.2.2—Peirce’s Thought7.2.2.2.3—Heidegger’s Thought7.2.2.2.4—Gadamer’s Thought7.2.2.2.5—Habermas’s Thought7.2.2.2.6—Vattimo and Hermeneutics7.2.2.2.7—Taylor’s Thought7.2.2.2.8—Other7.2.2.3—Existentialism: Sartre’s ThoughtChapter 8—Synopsis and Conclusions8.1?Synopsis of the Mind’s Triadic Structure and Bi-directional Activity8.2—Synopsis of the Activities of Intellect, Sensitiveness, and Power8.2.1?Synopsis of the Activity of Intellect (see Fig. 8.2)8.2.2?Synopsis of the Activity of Sensitiveness (see Fig. 8.3)8.2.3?Synopsis of the Activity of Power (see Fig. 8.4)8.3—A Conclusive NoteReferences