Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Ralph Weir answers all my questions about the mind-body problem, how we define "physical," whether I can conceive of philosophical zombies, and where panpsychism fits into all this.
This interview is also available as a podcast:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/97-why-belief-in-the-soul-makes-sense-ralph-stefan-weir/id1776277450?i=1000786329047
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/2BUHgsFrUlL7FGE3HTPlbv?si=pY7Qqe6BTdeCbjg5TiRtNg
Substack: mileskdonahue.substack.com/p/97-why-belief-in-the-soul-makes-sense?r=1pf1v9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Check out my Substack where you can get a paid membership because you're awesome: mileskdonahue.substack.com
To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating via Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/mileskdonahue.
Follow me on X: twitter.com/PhilosopherMKD
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:35 How Ralph got into philosophy of mind
00:05:52 Eliminativism: do mental states exist?
00:09:00 What is illusionism?
00:10:56 What is phenomenal consciousness?
00:17:53 What are qualia?
00:21:33 What does “physical” actually mean?
00:29:03 Is panpsychism a form of physicalism?
00:35:45 Mapping the mind-body problem
00:45:16 Property dualism vs. substance dualism
00:53:10 What is the strongest case against physicalism?
01:00:32 Philosophical zombies and modal skepticism
01:10:23 Can science settle the mind-body problem?
01:18:20 Mental causation and physical anomalies
01:22:31 Does the evidence favor physicalism?
01:34:07 Which philosophical view is Ralph most uncertain about?
Ralph Weir answers all my questions about the mind-body problem, how we define "physical," whether I can conceive of philosophical zombies, and where panpsychism fits into all this.
This interview is also available as a podcast:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/97-why-belief-in-the-soul-makes-sense-ralph-stefan-weir/id1776277450?i=1000786329047
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/2BUHgsFrUlL7FGE3HTPlbv?si=pY7Qqe6BTdeCbjg5TiRtNg
Substack: mileskdonahue.substack.com/p/97-why-belief-in-the-soul-makes-sense?r=1pf1v9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Check out my Substack where you can get a paid membership because you're awesome: mileskdonahue.substack.com
To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating via Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/mileskdonahue.
Follow me on X: twitter.com/PhilosopherMKD
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:35 How Ralph got into philosophy of mind
00:05:52 Eliminativism: do mental states exist?
00:09:00 What is illusionism?
00:10:56 What is phenomenal consciousness?
00:17:53 What are qualia?
00:21:33 What does “physical” actually mean?
00:29:03 Is panpsychism a form of physicalism?
00:35:45 Mapping the mind-body problem
00:45:16 Property dualism vs. substance dualism
00:53:10 What is the strongest case against physicalism?
01:00:32 Philosophical zombies and modal skepticism
01:10:23 Can science settle the mind-body problem?
01:18:20 Mental causation and physical anomalies
01:22:31 Does the evidence favor physicalism?
01:34:07 Which philosophical view is Ralph most uncertain about?
