Essay about Descartes’ Argument from Divisibility

Descartes’ Argument from Divisibility Works Cited Missing Reneà ¬ Descartes’ treatise on dualism, his Meditations on First Philosophy, is a seminal work in Western intellectual history, outlining his theory of the mind and its relation to the rest of the world. The main argument running through the Meditations leads from his universal methodic doubt through his famous cogito, to proofs of dualism, God, and the world. The Cartesian dualism is one of the most influential ideas to come out of the work; the style of the Meditations, however, is one of personal rumination, following what appears to be Descartes’ stream of consciousness , and it allows for mild tangential discussions. Hence alongside his more famous argument for dualism,†¦show more content†¦Stated in this way the argument is valid, but for it to be sound we must be able to accept all of its premises. The first premise is uncontroversial, as it follows from the concept of numerical identity that if two things are numerically identical then anything that is true of one is true of the other, as both things are actually only one thing being referred to in two different ways. We can therefore accept it as true. Moving to the second premise, it should be noted that physical bodies may not, in fact, be infinitely divisible, but as they are still divisible to some extent, this does not invalidate the argument and is only a tangential concern. At any rate, that material bodies are divisible seems almost self evident. The third premise is really the crux of the argument and the point of uncertainty. Is the mind really indivisible? Upon initial reflection it would certainly seem so; Descartes’ claim that one cannot conceive of â€Å"half of a mind† seems intuitively true on the face of it. However, one must remember that by â€Å"mind† Descartes meant only â€Å"a thing that thinks† (Meditations, p. 20), which is to say that thinking is the essence of the mind. From this kernel of truth Descartes builds up the rest of his understanding of the mind and part of this understanding is that the mind is entirely accessible to itself and in this sense is one unified thing. However, today theShow MoreRelatedHow The Mind And Body Are United Based On Rene Descartes Argumentations1523 Words   |  7 Pagesbody are united based on Rene Descartes’ argumentations in The Meditations Of First Philosophy. First, I am going to introduce a few of Descartes’ arguments and his position on the matter. Then, I will pick the most questionable argument and put it up against logical reasoning with evidence. Finally, I am going to conclude how the 17th-century philosopher proposes a fallacious argument which interferes with his Cartesian dualism theory. The Position Rene Descartes believed in what is known as â€Å"substanceRead MoreDescartes Debate On Dualism944 Words   |  4 PagesDescartes’ debate for dualism is called the divisibility argument, where he believes the mind cannot be divided while the body can and, as a result, the mind and body are distinct. But is this really true? I have evaluated Descartes’ reasons for believing in the divisibility of the body and the indivisibility of the mind from Descartes Meditations. I argue that Descartes argument does not work as he is trying to make science and church compatible and the existence of instances where the mind canRead MoreThe Brain Identity Theory, Logical Behaviorism, And Dualism Essay989 Words   |  4 Pagespresent and explain the argument for dualism and how it works to effectively provide a solution for the mind-body problem in spite of any objections offered. I will first proceed to describe the idea of dualism and provide two arguments that aim to support this solution towards the mind-body problem (II). I shall then present the two objections offered by Elliott Sober (III). Following Sober’s objection, I will convey my evaluation on how I object to one of the arguments for dualism, but acknowledgeRead MoreFor Years, Philosophers Have Debated The Mind-Body Problem,1195 Words   |  5 Pagesthe physical world. Philosopher Descartes believed in substance dualism, the belief that the mind and the body are two different things. In this essay, I will examine Descartes’ substance dualism theory. First, I will review Descartes’s theory and reasons that support it. Then, I will review objections with Descartes’s argument. After that, I will imagine how Descartes would respond to these objections. Finally, I will conclude with an overall assessment. Descartes’ substance dualism theory was formedRead MoreThe Mind / Brain Identity Theory1718 Words   |  7 Pagesdualism. I will also attempt to show the subsequent problems that rise from such distinction and some of the prominent reasons for why Dualism do not hold weight against the Identity Theory. Dualism being the brainchild of Rà ©ne Descartes was subsequently labeled as Cartesian Dualism. This theory holds that one possesses an entity called the soul, which can exist independently of the body (the soul can be translated to the mind). Descartes argues that there are two fundamentally different kinds of substancesRead MoreThe Mind Body Problem And Substance Dualism869 Words   |  4 Pagesto provide support for Descartes notion of the immaterial mind, by critically discussing the view of substance dualism, pertaining to the relationship between the mind and body. The two arguments of which I will provide in this paper to support this view are divisibility and disembodied existence. There are two fundamentally different substances in this universe, physical and mental properties, this paper will explore both of these substances (8). The first supporting argument which I will presentRead MoreFor Descartes And More One Common Dominator Between The1523 Words   |  7 PagesFor Descartes and More one common dominator between the two is the belief that the essence of the body is merely extension. Within the Fifth Meditation, Descartes addresses a premise that results in being the building block to his conception on extension being the essence of bodies. He asserts, we can’t know that physical stuff exists without a doubt considering deception, for instance the dream dilemma presented by Descartes. Hence, how do I know objectively and soundly that my sensory knowledgeRead MoreDescartes Vs. Descartes s Theory950 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to Descartes a mind cannot be divisible but the body can. He says that it is not humanly possible that someone can live with a divided brain. The argument also says that is it possible to divide our bodies into different part. Therefore scientists attacked this argument and figured they would test to see if it was true. Descartes divisibility argument is not correct, in fact it seems as if it has been proven by scientific experiments that his argument is wrong. In order for Descartes to be rightRead MorePhilosophy: Questions on Descartes Principles740 Words   |  3 PagesOne, Descartes writes, My reason tells me that as well as withholding assent from propositions that are obviously false, I should also withhold it from ones that are not completely certain and indubitable (p. 1). Which of the following does this quotation express? Principle of Universal Doubt Principle of Indiscernibility Archimedean Principle Epistemic Principle None of the above. ____ In Meditation One, Descartes ultimately dismisses the conclusion of the Dream Argument because:Read MoreCartesian Dualism vs Logical Behaviorism Essay1483 Words   |  6 Pagesyou do of your own free will? Are people genuinely moved by the welfare of others, or is all behavior, in reality, selfish? (Sober 203). These are questions relevant to philosophy of the mind and discussed through a variety of arguments. Two of the most important arguments with this discussion are Cartesian dualism and logical behaviorism, both of which argue the philosophy of the mind in two completely different ways. Robert Lane, a professor at the University of West Georgia, define the two as