Ryle's Ghost

Ryle's "Ghost in the Machine" is a philosophical critique of the idea that the mind is a separate, non-physical entity. Ryle argued that viewing the mind as a "ghost" lurking inside the body (the "machine") leads to misunderstandings about consciousness. Instead, he proposed that mental states are better understood as behaviors or dispositions—like tendencies to act in certain ways—rather than separate substances. His point was that mental processes are integrated with physical actions, and there's no need to imagine a mysterious inner soul controlling everything. This view supports a more scientific understanding of the mind as part of the physical world.