Descartes' Cartesian Dualism
Mind Body Interaction
Meditations on First Philosophy first published in Latin in 1641 is a philosophical piece penned by René Descartes. In this work, he discussed the existence of God and his idea of the real distinction of mind and body. The treatise consists of six meditations. This work is considered the threshold of modern Western philosophy.
In it, Descartes discusses several Aristotelian doctrines and questions its basic premise. Descartes particularly questions the Aristotelian concept which states that all knowledge stems from the senses and that mental states merely resemble them. Descartes believed otherwise. He is a great proponent of the virtue of improving thinking, senses and imagination or, the mental faculties.
Meditations on First Philosophy
Descartes started the Meditations of First Philosophy by discussing the idea of skepticism. Then, he gradually explained the need for senses and imagination as part of the mental processes. According to Descartes, the mind and body do not have anything in common. The mind is created to think and the body merely extends thoughts.
In Meditations on First Philosophy, there are two important points raised by Descartes: first, mind and body are distinct and separate. The second, that the mind and body interacts with each other. The mind is indivisible, invisible and immortal unlike the body. This is the main difference between the two. It therefore follows that these two -- mind and body -- are totally different substances.
Also, he believed that our idea of God is innate. This means that the idea was planted in us since birth and this idea must be put there by a higher being. A number of philosophers agree with Descartes' ideas even if his theory on the mind-body link is still subject to heated debate to this day.
Mind-Body Interaction
Adherents of mind-body link, however, disagreed with the points he forwarded. They believe that the mind has huge impact on the body unlike Descartes’ theory that mind functions separately from the body and that they could not affect one another but can only interact with each other.
The underlying basis for Descartes' argument of mind-body connection is now known as Cartesian dualism. The word “Cartesius” is derived from the Latin name of Descartes. Cartesian dualism simply means Descartes’ views on dualism. This is named in honor of Descartes who is known to have first formally started the discussions on the distinctions between mind and body.
The mind and body may differ in functions but they do complement each other through interaction. This interaction is made possible through the outflow of animal spirits in the pineal glands which results in the body affecting the mind or vice versa. The brain therefore serves as an important link between mind and body. That is Descartes' “Cartesian Dualism” in a nutshell.
Mind-Body
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