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Essay / A look at the concept of dualism between body and soul as described in René Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy
Body and soulRené Descartes presents in his Meditations on First Philosophy the idea of dualism, the belief that the body and soul exist separately from each other. The physical human body is made up of cells, tissues, blood, organs, skin, brain, etc. From the brain, humans have thought. The mental capacity to think is what creates human personality and allows humans to reason and form ideas. Whether or not the body and soul are separate is a vital philosophical question, especially for Descartes as he struggles with meditation and the feeling that nothing is real or certain. This causes him to question his own existence and who he is. In this article I will argue against Descartes' belief that the body needs the soul to live. The soul and body are linked together in order to give humans the ability to exist, create goals to pursue, and grow as individuals. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The main argument is that the body and the soul are individual forms. Descartes presents three main premises. The first premise of this argument begins with Descartes stating “if I have convinced myself of something then I certainly have existed…I am, I exist” (Descartes 110). It concerns the soul and if a human is capable of thinking, he exists. Even if a person is not sure of his real existence, it does not matter as long as he himself believes that he is alive and existing. This brings us to the second premise where it is a question of whether humans are deceived by God about their existence. Descartes argues that even if God, or a creator, deceives us, if we think we exist, we do. However, if God is the perfect creator of the universe, it would make sense that He gave His creation souls and a healthy existence. The third premise describes the body and soul separately, showing how the two are different. Descartes describes the body as simply our physical self, with hands, feet, and a solid figure. He writes that the soul has characteristics such as sense perception and the ability to fabricate thoughts. The body and soul are presented as being unique from each other, thus confirming the concept of dualism. These premises come together to form the conclusion which confirms duality and that the body and soul are separate from each other. I agree with Descartes' first premise on the grounds that if we think we exist, we exist. It's impossible to know for sure if it's all just a facade or if humans actually exist in a real universe. But since humans are alive and can think, it is assumed that they exist, at least to some extent. I also agree with his third premise that body and soul are different. The soul is not something visible but rather an abstract concept used to describe that which governs the body and allows humans to speak, think and act. However, I disagree with his overall notion of duality. Descartes presents his argument without sufficient evidence but instead relies on his own opinion. Generally, a body without a soul cannot be called an existing being. The body may be alive, but without a soul there is no person, no identity or personality. Likewise, without a physical body, the soul cannot exist. If there is no body, there is no one to talk about. At birth and death, body and soul..