Rene Descartes s Philosophy On The Mind - 3358 Words

Introduction to Philosophy October 23, 2014 Renà © Descartes Descartes is one of the most influential and well-known philosophers of all time. The idea he is most famous for is his explanation on the mind. Renà © Descartes is often credited with being the â€Å"Father of Modern Philosophy.† This title is justified due both to his break with the traditional Scholastic-Aristotelian philosophy prevalent at his time and to his development and promotion of the new, mechanistic sciences. He was one of the most influential and well-respected philosophers of 1600’s. Descartes attempted to address the former issue via his method of doubt. His basic strategy was to consider false any belief that falls prey to even the slightest doubt. This â€Å"hyperbolic doubt† then serves to clear the way for what Descartes considers to be an unprejudiced search for the truth. This clearing of his previously held beliefs then puts him at an epistemological ground zero. From here Descartes sets out to find something that lies beyond all doubt. He eventually discovers that â€Å"ergo sum† or â€Å"I exist† is impossible to doubt and is, therefore, absolutely certain. Now his notion on the mind is very extensive. I will be focusing on some of his work regarding the nature of the mind and its ideas, his belief of Cogito, ergo sum and also the sensations and passions. The mind is a very intricate and confusing subject. First off, Descartes argues this concept off Cogito, ergo sum. Which means, â€Å"IShow MoreRelatedPhilosophers and Scientist of Modern Psychology1454 Words   |  6 Pagesphilosophical distinction between mind and body can be traced back to the Greeks, it is due to the works of one great Philosopher that till this very day this is still in existence. Rene Descartes was the first to ever talk about the interactions of the mind and body, which later on in psychological history caught the attention of others who came after him such as James and Wundt. Descartes stated that not only body can influence mind, but that mind could also affect body. Descartes was a famous mathematicianRead MorePropelling Rational Thought Over Compelling Empiricism1459 Words   |  6 PagesEmpiricism Aaron Nicely Intro to Philosophy 02-09-2016 In this paper I intend to examine the rationalist philosophy of Rene Descartes and fundamental empiricism of John Locke’s philosophical arguments, in particular their ideas relating to the science of man, his identity and attempt to explain distinctions between the two. As I lay the framework of my argument it is important to understand the precepts that serve as the underpinning for the views considered by Descartes and Locke respectively. Read MoreIdeas And Schools Of Thought By Rene Descartes903 Words   |  4 Pagesthe body, spirituality, the mind, the soul, acquiring knowledge and how people interact with the world around them are concepts that many philosophers have tackled in an attempt to discover answers. In these answers philosophers hope to find true comprehension; however, the questions and, consequentially, the responses that they illicit are different for different philosophers. This creates a well of divergent ideas and schools of thought within the study of philosophy. Even when focusing on a subjectRead MoreThomas Aquinas vs. Descarates Essays673 Words   |  3 PagesAQUINA’S V. DESCARATES Meditation III Several hundred years ago, two great philosophers Thomas Aquinas’s and Rene Descartes used the method of ontological argument for the existence of God and used intuition and reason alone to get to each other’s theory. Rene Descartes wrote out several mediations, but the one we’re going to touch base on is meditation III that he wrote in the 1600’s; While Thomas Aquinas’s wrote his five proofs of God in 1270 that specifies God’s existence in each proof; theRead MoreThe Mind Body Problem, By Rene Descartes Essay1331 Words   |  6 Pages Mind-Body Problem Oluwadamilola Kamson Philosophy 101: Introduction to Philosophy November 2016 INTRODUCTION The Mind-body problem dates back to Plato and was well received by the scholastic philosophers. However, it was Rene Descartes the famous French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. The mind-body problem is not, of course, a single problem at all, but a large collection of problems which focuses upon the fundamental issue of reality and knowledge in so far as such analysisRead MoreWisdom According to Rene Descartes1240 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent lines and not examining the same thing† Rene’ Descartes pg. (1) â€Å"Discourse on Method† by Rene’ Descartes Wisdom, according to Rene’ Descartes, can be reached when an individual abandons all other influence and challenges the course of their own personal knowledge by seeking supreme understanding. He believed that everybody is capable of wisdom, but to gain it a person must challenge their very own mind. In the book, â€Å"Discourse on Method†, Descartes describes his method for understanding by firstRead MoreThe Mind-Body Problem Essay957 Words   |  4 PagesThe Mind-Body Problem The mind-body problem, which is still debated even today, raises the question about the relationship between the mind and the body. Theorists, such as Renà © Descartes and Thomas Nagel, have written extensively on the problem but they have many dissenting beliefs. Descartes, a dualist, contends that the mind and body are two different substances that can exist separately. Conversely, Nagel, a dual aspect theorist, contends that the mind and body are not substances but differentRead MoreProposed Seven Philosophers On The Existence Of God And Their Development Of These Ideas1413 Words   |  6 Pagesphilosophers are as follows: (1) Socrates, (2) Plato, (3) Aristotle, (4) Francis Bacon, (5) St. Augustine, (6) Thomas Aquinas, and (7) Rene DesCartes. The specific three I want to focus on being; St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and Rene Descartes. Lastly, I will proceed to relate their ideas on the existence of God and their development of these ideas. St. Augustine s epistemology is rationalization. In his argument for the existence of God, he is referring to varying degrees of perfection otherwiseRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Mind And The Body1646 Words   |  7 PagesPhilosophy of mind had come across when philosophers had an idea of the concepts regarding the human mind and its mysteries. This branch of psychology had intended to elaborate and study the nature and aspects of the human mind, also how these concepts such as mental events, mental functions and consciousness would connect to each other, through the human brain and body. Philosophy of mind became one of the central areas of philosophy as the skills and abilities of metalizing are used to treat individualsRead MoreThe Philosophical Beliefs Of Substance Dualism And Modern Materialism953 Words   |  4 PagesDualism and modern Materialism The tradition of Substance Dualism was formulated by Rene Descartes to define the differing modes of the soul that function in the human mind. The dualistic aspect of this philosophy is based on the presence of a higher power, such as God, that provides the essence of the mind through the soul, yet the human body is separated from this process. Therefore, Descartes sought to divide the mind from the material body as a method of defining the limitations of the body in relation