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Dualism; Mind v Body

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Dualism; Mind v Body
Dualism; Mind v Body

Throughout the history of philosophy one of the strongest thesis’s in Descartes time as a philosopher was the idea of dualism. What is dualism? In short it is the theory that the mind and body are two separate substances. Although Descartes has his own arguments and support as to why dualism is true. The idea of dualism has been debated for centuries; it is basically on what one’s beliefs are if they think it is true or false. Descartes explanation of dualism was in his second and sixth meditation. He discusses how the mind is separate from the body. Descartes mediation two is split into four categories, the basis of certainty, what am I, the conceptual and perceptual and lastly distinction. The fourth category intertwines with meditation six. The idea of dualism is a true theory because the mind has its own process and how it works and the body is just there, basically. The theory of dualism has its pros and cons; it is the idea of what a person is and how they function. It is a great theory but all great theories have their problems and imperfections. Descartes uses his arguments to help support his theory and tries to counter argue what other philosophers believe. What is the basis of certainty is where his theory begins.

Descartes has many arguments as to why he believes that dualism is true. His first argument was stated in his second meditation, the basis of certainty. One of his famous sayings is “I am, I exist ”. Descartes belief in this phrase is that to think gives awareness to a person and when a person is aware they exist. A more elaborate way of saying this quote is by far the most famous saying in the entire history of philosophy is “I think, therefore I am” or in Latin “cogito ergo sum”. With this line, Descartes figures out the certainty of the mind and body as a whole. The cogito represents the idea of knowledge, where the mind knows more about itself over anything else. There is in fact a distinction between “I am, I

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