Exam 5: René Descartes Mind and Body

Descartes claims that it is certain that his mind is entirely distinct from his body, and that it may exist without it.

Shapiro argues that in Elisabeth's correspondence with Descartes, Elisabeth's challenges move Descartes to think more carefully our relationship with God.

Descartes asserts that corporeal objects exist, but that they are not ...

James says, "If the world were then and there to go out like a candle, it would remain truth absolute and objective, for it would be the last word, would have no critic, and no one would ever oppose the thought in it to the reality intended."

The features of consciousness; for example, what it is like to taste ice cream, or to feel pain, are called reductions.

Descartes's position regarding the separate existence of mind and body leaves him with a serious problem:

James says about consciousness, "Let me then immediately explain that I mean only to deny that the word stands for ___________, but to insist most emphatically that it does stand for ___________."

Conway argues that "spirit and body differ not ___________, but __________, I shall deduce an argument from the intimate band or union, which intercedes between bodies and spirits."

Churchland asks us to consider the following question: "What exactly is the evidence that we could explain all the 'Easy' phenomena and still not understand the neural mechanisms for ..."

Velmans says, "To allow a clear distinction between consciousness of oneself and consciousness of things other than oneself, it makes more sense to reserve the term self-consciousness for a special form of reflexive consciousness in which the object of consciousness is the self or some aspect of the self."

What is the main question that Velleman wants to explore?

As defined in the reading, "epiphenomenalism" means mental events are caused by physical events in the brain.

Descartes says, "Nature likewise teaches me by these sensations of pain, hunger, thirst, etc., that I am not only lodged in my body as a pilot in a vessel, but that I am besides so intimately conjoined, and as it were intermixed with it, that my mind and body compose a certain unity."

According to Conway, _________ extension is a motion or action which a creature has, whether immediately given from God, or immediately received from its fellow creature.

Churchland asks us to consider the following question: "What exactly is the evidence that we could explain all the 'Easy' phenomena and still not understand the neural mechanisms for consciousness?"

Conway says that if the substance dualists are correct, then how does the mind, which is a non-physical substance, ...

James says that "Epistemology is only a collective name for all these sensible natures, and save for time and space (and, if you like, for 'being') there appears no universal element of which all things are made."

Descartes suggests that Elisabeth use the power of her mind to help her get over a physical ailment. However, as with an earlier discussion with Descartes, Elisabeth seems to imply that there are certain limits to or conditions on ...

Conway says, "if spirit and body are so contrary one to another, so that a spirit is only life, or a living and sensible substance, but a body a certain mass merely dead; a spirit penetrable and indiscerpible [having no separate parts], but a body impenetrable and discerpible [having separate parts], which are all contrary attributes." Conway then asks the following question: What is that which joins or unites them together? What position is Conway criticizing? Is Conway's argument effective?

Descartes's position regarding the separate existence of mind and body leaves him with a serious problem: How do the two different kinds of substances interact? Do you think the problem has a solution, and if so, what is it?