Descartes dualism

[ktrah]

According to Roger Edwards' (chief assessor) notes, Descartes believed that the mind could affect the body but that the body did not influence the mind, and that it was only later Cartesian dualists who proposed that they could both affect each other. But everywhere else says that Descartes argued that they did affect each other. Sooooo what should we go with?

[ecvkcuf]

Grivas says mind can effect body and body can effect mind. Go with Grivas.

[MichelleVo]

From what I've learnt, Descartes proposed that the mind and body are separate things yet they can influence each other. The key points you should know in relation to Rene Descartes is:

● Descartes was the first to clearly link the mind with consciousness.
He identified the mind as a non-physical entity, whereas the body is a physical entity.

● He proposed that the mind (non-physical) and body (physical) are separate and different things but interact via the brain's pineal gland and can therefore influence one another.

● He suggested that thinking provides evidence of consciousness and knowledge of our own existence. This lead to the phrase "I think, therefore I am".

● Descartes believed that consciousness includes everything we are aware of, including our own existence.

[pubsquash]

But on the NEAP unit 3 trial exam 2011, there's a question about Descartes' dualism, and the answer was that the mind controls the body.