Philosophy of Human Person Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophy of Human Person - Essay Example Descartes supports this duality concept using spiritual facts in his conceivability argument in his sixth meditation (Corcoran 135). For example, he says that he sees body and mind as distinct substances because God wants him to see them that way. Since God wants him to view them as two different things, He would be a liar if body and mind were not different. Consequently, he thinks that he is a thinking being because he can do without his extended body. If the two things are different then God has the ability to separate them. Another spiritual factor that motivates Descartes to argue in such a manner is life after death. According to him, souls do not die even when bodies die, it is obvious that body and mind are different and be separated. In addition, Descartes uses his physics knowledge to support his arguments in his second medication (Corcoran 127). For instance, he says that body and mind are distinct because they have different properties. People only study physical substances in physics. If body and mind were the same then people would be studying other things in physics such as sensations or psychological features and not just physical substances. In physics, people study or express things mathematically or mechanically. Since thoughts and sensations cannot be expressed this way, then body which is physical is different from mind can be divided. In addition, all physical substances are made of matter. Since mind unlike body is not made of matter and does not occupy any space, it is clear that they have different property. For this reason, the philosopher decided to eliminate mind from of physics realm. Descartes also believes that mind and body are different according to the theory of Indiscernibility of Ident ical. The theory holds that if things are identical, then they must have precisely the same appearance or properties. Based on this principle Descartes claims are true because body and mind to not have exactly the same properties.