Mind-body relationship

The mind-body problem concerns the explanation of the relationship that exists between minds, or mental processes, and bodily states or processes. The main aim of philosophers working in this area is to determine the nature of the mind and mental states, and how minds are affected by the body. First of all the state of mind has an effect on whether a woman is able to conceive or not. Melissa was 33 years old and distressed, she cried almost every day. She had tried to get pregnant for more than two years but had only gained some extra weight. Then she started practicing relaxation techniques, gave up alcohol, caffeine and excessice exercise and conceived on her next cycle. Meditation and yoga certainly do help a lot of women and have now established their place along with high-tech medicines and procedures (p.2, l.18). Studies show, that satisfied patients get better clinical results. This proves, yet again, that the mental state affects the body. If you have a healing and trusting relationship with the doctor you feel more safe, and when you feel safe you are more willing to believe that your symptoms are treatable. Most patients recognize that pills and procedures are an incomplete model of care without the strongest drug of all: the doctor (p.4, l.5). Text 4 is from The Body, a novel by Hanif Kureishi, published by faber & faber in 2003. The main character is an ageing playwright who gets the opportunity to have his mind transplanted into a younger body. He accepts the offer. His mental state is clearly affected by the body. After getting the new body he feels inhabited by an inner fire, it was a pleasure that overtook and choked me (p.7, l.5). Suddenly he is no longer phobic of others and he gets way more confidence. Hanif Kureishi describes it as an excellent way of life, which means that as long as you have the perfect body, a perfect life will come along.