Descartes' Version of Dualism

Flashcards covering key concepts related to Descartes' dualism, focusing on his views about the body, soul, and the nature of thought.

Dualism

The philosophical concept that mind and body are distinct and separate entities.

Treatise of Man

A work by Descartes where he challenged previous notions of the soul's role in human function.

The Passions of the Soul

A book by Descartes that further explores the relationship between mind and body.

Nervous System

A complex network responsible for transmitting signals between different parts of the body, though not well understood in Descartes' time.

Reflexes

Involuntary responses to stimuli that resemble Descartes' conception of mechanical control of movement.

Mechanical Control

The idea that complex behaviors can happen through physical processes without the soul's involvement.

Thought

The conscious deliberation and judgment unique to humans according to Descartes.

Nonhuman Animals

Entities that Descartes argued do not possess souls, suggesting their behaviors are purely mechanical.

Sensory Input

The data received by the body's sense organs that must inform thought and action according to Descartes.

Conscious Deliberation

The ability to think and make judgments, which Descartes considered the primary function of the human soul.