Rene Descartes - Substance Dualism Flashcards
What is substance dualism?
The mind and the body are separate substances
What is Descartes famous saying?
‘I think therefore i am’
How did Descartes come to the conclusion of Substance Dualism?
Through hyperbolic doubt- he doubted that anything was real in order to conclude what was
What did Descartes believe was the only thing we can trust?
He believed we can only trust that we are thinking because in order to think we need to be a thinker, thus “i think therefore i am”
What was Descartes reasoning for his doubt?
- Our senses deceive us (eg: hallucinations, etc)
- It’s hard to distinguish between dreams and reality
- There could be an evil demon who’s sole purpose is to deceive us
What is Leibniz Law?
If X and Y do not share properties, they’re different (eg: an apple is not and rock so therefore it is not a rock)
What criticises Substance Dualism?
Materialism
What type of philosopher is Descartes?
A dualist
How did Descartes prove that the mind and body are separate?
By demonstrating that the mind and body are separate
