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Descartes ' Dualism And The Mind Body Theory

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Descartes’ Dualism
Rene Descartes dualism states that the mind and body are separate entities. The mind is a nonphysical, non-spatial substance; the mind and brain are separate existences, the brain is a part of the physical body and serves as a connection between the body and mind. Dualism is a hot topic of argument on whether the theory holds any validity or if it holds any truth. However, Cartesian dualism is a credible theory and has a lot of support to verify it.
One major point in Descartes mind-body theory is the substance dualism, for Descartes, “had at least two different conceptions of substance. one is a conception of substance as a subject of properties; the other is a conception of substance as an independent entity”, (Journal
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43, no. 1, 2005, pg. 117)
This makes way for many to debate whether Descartes is a reliable source for knowledge or not, since he was not an intentional philosopher, can any theory of his be truly reliable. Also, his theory is difficult to prove since the mind is a non-tangible being and not measurable by any worldly standards.
Philosophers, peers, and readers alike tend to misinterpret Descartes’ arguments are from doubt or imagination, when in fact his arguments come from precise understanding in what can and cannot be doubted. A well-known saying of Descartes’, “I think, therefore I am.”, stating that since he thinks, therefore he must exist. That fact within itself is undoubtable, if one can think, how can they not truly exist. He can doubt everything within the physical world, but he could not doubt the fact that he thinks. Physical objects that take up space are made up of matter called res extensa, the non-physical such as thoughts and ideas are made up of res cognita. The body is visible and changeable, while the mind is invisible, whole, and unchangeable. The mind and body may coexist but since one is doubtable and changeable, while the other is undoubtable and unchangeable they have different properties, and objects with different properties must be separate in existence.
The mind-body theory brings to light the argument of the soul, and afterlife. The soul can be compared to that of the mind. It is separate from the body, cannot
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