Descartes' Version of Dualism

Descartes' Version of Dualism: Focus on the Body

Before Descartes, dualists believed the soul governed the body's life, heat, and mobility. Descartes challenged this view.

Challenge to Traditional Views

In his works like Treatise of Man and The Passions of the Soul, Descartes, informed by scientific research on the circulatory system, proposed the body as a self-sustaining machine capable of generating its own heat and movement independent of the soul.

Mechanical Understanding of the Body

Descartes' concept of mechanical bodily control foreshadowed modern understanding of reflexes, which are involuntary responses to stimuli. This emphasized the body's independent role in behavior.

Implications of Nonhuman Animal Behavior

Aligning with Church doctrine, Descartes argued nonhuman animals lack souls. He implied that if animal behaviors are similar to human actions (eating, sleeping, running), these human actions could also be purely mechanical processes, as animals are essentially machines.

Thought as the Unique Human Trait

Descartes asserted that thinking

Thought—conscious deliberation and judgment—is the sole faculty that distinguishes humans from animals. While attributing only thought to the soul, he still linked it to bodily mechanics, requiring thought to respond to sensory input and influence muscle movement for utility. This highlights the mind-body interdependence in his dualism.