Descartes Mind and Body - 1480 Words

Descartes’ Mind Body Dualism Rene Descartes’ main purpose is to attempt to prove that the mind that is the soul or the thinking thing is distinct and is separate from the body. This thinking thing was the core of himself, which doubts, believes, reasons, feels and thinks. Descartes considers the body to be an extended unthinking thing; therefore it is possible that one may exist without the other. This view is known as mind-body dualism. He believes that what he is thinking in his mind is what God created and instilled in him. Descartes outlines many arguments to support and prove his claims of his discoveries. He states that because he can think, his mind exists. This is known as the Cogito, which is the first existential principal of†¦show more content†¦It does not rule out other possibilities, such as waking up to find oneself to be not a human but a different form of life. Therefore the statement of the body is too broad to specifically identify as being in human form. Also, it should be not ed that the Cogito only works for the thought. It cannot be used in a sense that, I can walk or sleep therefore I exist since I can doubt these actions carried out by the body. The reason why a person cannot doubt itself is because the doubt is in a form of a thought in ones mind, not an action of our body. Descartes discusses that physical objects are more known distinctly through the mind than through the body and explains his reason further in the Wax Argument. The Wax Argument describes how Descartes wanted to show that we come to know things using the intellectual parts of our brain rather than through our senses. Basically, Descartes is trying to prove that we know the mind truly better than anything else, like our bodies and the world outside of the mind. This argument begins by describing the process of change by which solid wax melts until it has changed its phase of matter to form a liquid puddle. Descartes describes the wax uses his senses as he says, â€Å"Its color, shape, and size are manifest. It is hard and cold; it is easy to touch. If you wrap it with your knuckle it will emit a sound. In short, everything is present in that it appearsShow MoreRelatedDescartes’ Mind and Body Distinction817 Words   |  3 PagesDescartes’ Mind/Body Distinction This paper will attempt to explain Descartes’ first argument for the distinction that exists between mind and body. Dualism is a necessary aspect of Descartes’ metaphysics and epistemology. This distinction is important within the larger framework of Meditations on First Philosophy (1641) because after doubting everything (body, extension, senses, etc.), Descartes comes to the conclusion that because he doubts, he must be a thinking thing and therefore exist (p.43)Read MoreDescartes Proof That The Mind And The Body1568 Words   |  7 PagesDescartes’ proof that the Mind and the Body are distinct substances is as follows, First Descartes asserts that everything that can be clearly and distinctly understood is within the ability to be created by God as to correspond identically with the way that Descartes understand things in the world. It follows from this assertion that because Descartes is able to clearly and distinctly understand one thing apart from one anot her is enough to make them noticeably different in substance. 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By drawing from three lines of thought, Descartes launches a powerful premise that the body is something distinct from the mind. He conceptualizes his argument by using the uncertainty of knowledge argument, appealing to God’s omnipotence, and describing the indivisibility of the body and mind. Therefore, the purpose of this paperRead MoreDescartes Meditations And The Separation Of Mind And Body1608 Words   |  7 PagesDescartes’ Meditations take us through what can be called into doubt and what he concludes is absolutely certain. Descartes argues that the mind and body are two distinct things, but he acknowledges that they are somehow connected. Although, Scholars have noted Descartes’ argument of the separation of mind and body, they have missed the importance of how he justifies the connection between the two, because God willed it so. At the start of his meditations Descartes is sifting through his priorRead MoreDescartes: Relationship Between Mind and Body922 Words   |  4 PagesDistinction between the Mind and Body†, one important thing Descartes explores is the relationship between the mind and body. Descartes believes the mind and body are separated and they are two difference substances. He believes this to be clearly and distinctly true which is a Cartesian quality for true knowledge. I, on the other hand, disagree that the mind and body are separate and that the mind can exist without the body. First, I will present Descartes position on mind/body dualism and his proofRead MoreDescartes Dualism And The Mind Body Theory1322 Words   |  6 PagesDescartes’ Dualism Rene Descartes dualism states that the mind and body are separate entities. The mind is a nonphysical, non-spatial substance; the mind and brain are separate existences, the brain is a part of the physical body and serves as a connection between the body and mind. Dualism is a hot topic of argument on whether the theory holds any validity or if it holds any truth. However, Cartesian dualism is a credible theory and has a lot of support to verify it. One major point in DescartesRead MoreSummary Of Descartes On The Mind-Body Distinction751 Words   |  4 PagesAssignment Descartes on the Mind-Body Distinction In the Sixth Mediation, Descartes advances a compact argument for the idea that the mind and the body are distinct (2006, AT 78). In this essay, I’m going to present what I take Descartes’ argument to be, and very briefly evaluate it afterwards. Descartes starts with the thought the we can understand, at least, something, and we can understand something in a specific manner: clearly and distinctly; we can’t be wrong, according to Descartes, about things