Descartes

• Descartes is considered the 'Father of Modern Philosophy'
• Descartes created the starting point for modern philosophy
• Descartes argued the idea of radical dualism
• Radical dualism of the extended body and extended mind
• Descartes believed he was unable to doubt his existence as he was a thinking being
• Descartes had a religious agenda
• God and the soul are examples where proof "ought to be given with the aid of philosophy rather than theology"- Descartes
• Matter is res extensa- Latin for extended thing, so: 'extended substance'
• Mind is res cognita- Latin for 'mental substance'
• Descartes came up with three proofs for the mind and body being distinct substances

  1. Argument from doubt
  2. The Argument from Divisibility and Non-Divisibility
  3. The Argument from Clear and Distinct Perception
• Argument from Doubt: Meditation II

  1. I can doubt my body exists
  2. But I cannot doubt that I exist as a thinking thing (doubt is a form of thinking)
  3. Therefore, I am not identical with my body
• Issues with the Argument from Doubt

  • Most philosophers believe the mind is a product of the brain, which is a part of the body
• The Argument from Divisibility and Non-Divisibility: Meditation VI

  1. All bodies take up space, and are therefore divisible
  2. Minds do not take up space and are not divisible
  3. Minds are radically different from bodies
• "if... any part of the body is cut off, nothing has thereby been taken away from the mind"
• Issues with the Argument from Divisibility and Non-Divisibility

  • Modern neuroscience shows a close correlation between the mind and brain. When the brain is damaged, the mind can be damaged as well
• The Argument from Clear and Distinct Perception: Meditation VI

  • Whatever I clearly and distinctly perceive as two different things can be created by God as two different things
  • I have a clear and distinct idea of myself as a non-extended thinking thing: "I think therefore I am"