Dualism

The term "dualism" has a variety of uses in tbe history of thought. In general, tbe idea is that, for some particular domain, tbere are two fundamental kinds or categories of things or principles. In tbeology, for example a "dualist" is someone who believes that Good and Evil, or God and tbe Devil, or Yin and Yang, are independent and more or less equal forces in tbe world. Dualism contrasts with Monism, which is tbe tbeory that tbere is only one fundamental kind, category of thing or principle; and, ratber less commonly, with pluralism, which is tbe view that tbere are many kinds or categories. In tbe philosophy of mind, dualism is tbe tbeory that tbe mental and tbe physical – or mind and body or mind and brain – are, in some sense, radically different kinds of thing.