descartes

• Descartes theory of the body/soul relationship is called interactionalism

  • his view that the mind + body interact within the pineal gland
• Descartes claimed that a human being consists of a material body (temporary machine) and a non-physical mind/soul (permanent essence)

  • these different entities could interact through the pineal gland, where the soul is
• Descartes held that the pineal gland formed the link between body + soul
• evaluation of Descartes' view:

  • the function of the pineal gland is now known - part of his justification before had been that it's function was unknown
  • he doesn't explain how interaction takes place
• Descartes' interactionalism was criticised by Gilbert Ryle, using the Ghost in the Machine critique

  • he accused Descartes of making a 'category mistake' - we should not expect to find an extra something in the form of a mind over + above the different parts of the body
  • to talk of the mind/soul is not to talk of some 'disembodied ghost'