ipl-logo

Descartes Dualism

1212 Words5 Pages

Throughout this class, we have continued to discuss the idea of dualism and its importance to modern philosophy. These discussions stem from the essay read in class by René Descartes titled “Meditations on First Philosophy.” In Descartes essay, he does an excellent job illustrating his thoughts and ideas on what exactly the body and the mind are. These ideas are the building blocks for Descartes thesis on how the body and mind are separate substances from one another. This essay will focus on the topics discussed in class of what the idea of dualism is, how it has created the dualist position about the nature of the mind, and how Descartes’ arguments about the differences between the mind and the body support the dualist position.

In his essay, …show more content…

However, this until after all of his questions of the mind and body have been brought forth throughout the essay. Therefore, it isn’t until Meditation Six that he discusses this argument. What the argument is trying to explain is that without the ability to distinctly understand the difference between the body and the mind you will of course not know that there is a mind, but rather your understanding would be that the mind is simply the brain. This is because if Descartes could not distinguish that that mind was not part of the brain, a part of the body, then there would be no argument as to the fact that the body is a separate substance from the mind. Descartes explains his understanding that the two are different by saying, “First, I know that all the things that I clearly and distinctly understand can be made by God such as I understand them. For this reason, my ability to clearly and distinctly understand one thing without another suffices to make me certain that the one thing is different from the other, since they can be separate from each other, at least by God.” (Descartes, “Meditations on First Philosophy”, p51). With the explanation of his complete understanding Descartes is now aware that the mind is separate from the body and he can go further into depth on how and why they …show more content…

He does an excellent job of explaining his thoughts and views of the matter, which help to both create and support the dualist position of the nature of the mind. He comes to the final conclusion that the mind and the body are in fact two separate substances. This is also his thesis for the essay and creates the theory that is now know by modern philosophers as mind-body

Show More
Related

  • Descartes Response To Princess Elisabeth: Summary

    213 Words  | 1 Pages

    CHIDIEBUBE OPARA PHIL 1301 PROF BROWN July 10, 2017 PRINCESS ELISABETH First, in my essay about what Princess Elisabeth was asking Descartes to clarify was about the meditation. This meditation was to give an expression of how the mind and the body interact to one another. Next, In Descartes response to Princess Elisabeth, he claims that the mind and the body are the two different important substances in our human beings.

    Read More

  • Descartes Meditations On First Philosophy: An Analysis

    172 Words  | 1 Pages

    Therefore, Descartes argues that the mind and the body must be two logically distinct

    Read More

  • Descartes Sixth Meditation Analysis

    1919 Words  | 8 Pages

    In the sixth meditation, Descartes postulates that there exists a fundamental difference in the natures of both mind and body which necessitates that they be considered as separate and distinct entities, rather than one stemming from the other or vice versa. This essay will endeavour to provide a critical objection to Descartes’ conception of the nature of mind and body and will then further commit to elucidating a suitably Cartesian-esque response to the same objection. (Descartes,1641) In the sixth meditation Descartes approaches this point of dualism between mind and matter, which would become a famous axiom in his body of philosophical work, in numerous ways. To wit Descartes postulates that he has clear and distinct perceptions of both

    Read More

  • Essay On Dualism And Monism

    1457 Words  | 6 Pages

    What is the Mind? Introduction To try and explore the ‘mind’ it is necessary to examine if the mind and the brain are separate or if the mind and body are distinct from one another? Is the mind and body separate substance or elements of the same substance? Is consciousness the result of the mechanisms of the brain, wholly separate from the brain or inextricably linked?

    Read More

  • Descartes's Legacies Of Cartesian Dualism

    1709 Words  | 7 Pages

    Cartesian dualism is historically vital for having given rise to increasing thought regarding the famous mind–body problem. This dualistic view has influenced how psychologists conceptualize and study the mind and its relationship to the body (Ausch, 2015). Descartes also raised the question of consciousness (“I think, therefore I am”) and argued that you could not

    Read More

  • Cogito In The Second Meditation By Rene Descartes

    1275 Words  | 6 Pages

    In the second meditation, Descartes uses this cogito of consciousness and existence to assume that the mind is distant from a body. “I am, I exist”. This essay I will clearly discuss an outline of Descartes cogito in the second meditation and how it deals with the subject of existence and also Descartes’s strongest and weakest arguments in this case. “The Meditation of yesterday filled my mind with so many doubts that it is no longer in my power to

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of René Descartes Mediations On First Philosophy

    1654 Words  | 7 Pages

    Notre Dame ID: 902008117 In René Descartes ' Mediations on First Philosophy, Descartes abandons all previous notions or things that he holds to be true and attempts to reason through his beliefs to find the things that he can truly know without a doubt. In his first two meditations Descartes comes to the conclusion that all that he can truly know is that he exists, and that he is a thinking being. In his third meditation, Descartes concludes that he came to know his existence, and the fact that he is a thinking being, from his clear and distinct perception of these two facts. Descartes then argues that if his clear and distinct perception would turn out to be false, then his clear and distinct perception that he was a thinking being would not have been enough to make him certain of it (Blanchette).

    Read More

  • Aristotle Dualism Essay

    526 Words  | 3 Pages

    He argues that the body and soul are two elements that have the same underlying substance. He maintains that a person’s soul is the same as his nature of body; however, he argues that the mind differed from other parts of the body as it lacked a physical feature. In this case, he maintains that the intellect lacks a physical form, and this allows it to receive every form. It allows a person to think about anything, including the material object. In this case, he argues that if the intellect were in a material form, it could be sensitive to only some physical objects.

    Read More

  • Descartes Non Deceive God Analysis

    726 Words  | 3 Pages

    We know clear and distinct perceptions independently by God, and his existence provides us with a certainty we might not possess otherwise. However, another possible strategy would be to change Gods role in Descartes philosophy. Instead of seeing God as the validation of clear and distinct perceptions, rather see him as a safeguard against doubt. This strategy, however, is a problem since it re-constructs the Meditations – Philosophical work of Descartes –.This is because it would not be God, who is the ultimate foundation of knowledge, but the clear and distinct

    Read More

  • Essay On Cartesian Dualism

    703 Words  | 3 Pages

    When I try to conceive of the self, I do not think of the mind but bodily behaviour, i.e. physical displays of anger. If we cannot gain an impression of the mind, then we cannot possess an idea of the self. The assertion that Descartes has a clear and distinct perception that he is “... a thinking thing” is therefore made redundant and his conceivability argument is

    Read More

  • Summary Of Descartes 'Pictorially Illustrated'

    328 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pictorially Illustrated Reflective Analysis: After having read about some of the human nature in Chapter two in the textbook, I understand and believe Descartes’ theory of the Mind-Body Dualism. I do completely feel as though the mind and body should be conceived of as separate and independent of each other. The mind and the body are two completely separate things that work together to create the human body in all. So the argument here is that how does the mind and body interact?

    Read More

  • What Is Spinoza's View Of Substance Dualism

    1744 Words  | 7 Pages

    But may believe even Descartes isn’t exactly clear on the inner working of the relationship (Robinson, Howard). Spinoza’s substance monism cleverly dissolves this issue by labeling mind (thought) and body (extension) as attributes to a common and singular substance. Other substance pluralist philosophies are also denied when we truly capture the infinite extent of

    Read More

  • The Dualist Relationship Between The Mind And Body

    785 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the realm of Philosophy, different views about the definition of the mind and its interactions exist. Among the many, Dualism stands as one of the most debatable, thanks to its position about the relationship of the mind and body, and its repercussions. This assignment discusses the dualist relationship between the mind and the body, as well as its impact on the individual free will. It asserts Interventionism as an extension of Dualism, as well as an alternative to Determinism. The objective of this endeavor is to present the Dualist approach to Mind and Body as an alternative or possible solution to the dilemma of Determinism.

    Read More

  • Dualism: The Description Of The Human Body

    231 Words  | 1 Pages

    1. René Descartes (1596-1650)— proposed the philosophy of mind, otherwise known as dualism, in his works, The Passions of the Soul and The Description of the Human Body. Suggested that the body was made up of two parts that work together, the mind and the body. Dualism eventually led the way for cognitive psychology. (Dualism) 2.

    Read More

  • Descartes Mind Body Dualism Summary

    1104 Words  | 5 Pages

    In his philosophical thesis, of the ‘Mind-Body dualism’ Rene Descartes argues that the mind and the body are really distinct, one of the most deepest and long lasting legacies. Perhaps the strongest argument that Descartes gives for his claim is that the non extended thinking thing like the Mind cannot exist without the extended non thinking thing like the Body. Since they both are substances, and are completely different from each other. This paper will present his thesis in detail and also how his claim is critiqued by two of his successors concluding with a personal stand.

    Read More

More about Descartes Dualism

Open Document