Chapter 8: The Psychosemiotic Model For Understanding The Body–Mind Continuum: Implications for Epistemic and Psychotherapeutic Applications

In spite of the intensive study on the connections between the body and mind, their relationship has until now remained a dilemma (e.g., Damasio, 1999; Kandel, 1998,Kandel, 1999). Different theoretical approaches touch on the mind–body problem, which are well described in recent articles (e.g., Damasio, 1999; Kandel, 1998, 1999; Kendler, 2001). These philosophical positions (Kendler, 2001) include: substance dualism, property dualism, type identity, token identity, functionalism, eliminative materialism, and explanatory dualism. However, there are no explicit and widely accepted answers to such issues as the origin of intentionality and meaning in the body–mind problem. By the same token, the idea of a causal relationships between the body and mind and also the interconnections between the body and mind and psychotherapy have become unsettled.