Which term best describes the view that mind and body are distinct types of substance?

• A. Monism
• B. Dualism
• C. Materialism
• D. Idealism

Answer: (B)

Two kinds of substance—the mental and the physical—make up this view. Dualism holds that mind and body are fundamentally different kinds of stuff with distinct natures: the mind as an immaterial, thinking substance and the body as a material, extended substance. This separation explains why some philosophers have described mental phenomena (like thoughts and feelings) as not reducible to physical processes, while still recognizing that bodies occupy space and can interact with the physical world. Descartes is the classic advocate, though the idea has many variations in the history of philosophy. In contrast, monism says there is only one kind of stuff, materialism says everything is physical, and idealism says only mental reality exists, so none of those fit the description of two distinct substances. Thus, the view is best described as dualism.