Picture of René Descartes
Dualism is at the center of the argument of non-physicalism. However, how did dualism come about in the first place? Meet philosopher René Descartes, who originally founded the concept of dualism (Skirry).
Descartes was a 17th-century French philosopher who focused heavily on the idea of consciousness. He believed that consciousness of our surroundings is the essence of our existence, as evidenced by his famous Latin statement "Cogito, Ergo Sum," which translates to "I think, therefore I am" (Descartes: ‘I Think Therefore I Am’ - New Learning Online, n.d.). Descartes believes that consciousness originates from the mind, as he first proposed the idea that the mind and body are distinct in the year 1641. He states that the mind is a non-physical entity, and because of his belief that consciousness was seated in the mind, he believed that consciousness was non-physical.
The view of dualism that Descartes proposed is of great significance to human life. Most directly, his view paved the way for modern-day non-physicalism arguments. However, in addition to this, Descartes's view opens up the possibility for scientific research into how the mind is formed by the brain, and his view may even help in discovering if AI machines possess minds that house conscious experiences. Overall, Descartes was able to create an argument that helped form the basis of the non-physicalist viewpoint.
References:
Skirry, J. "Rene Descartes: Mind-Body Distinction." Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (n.d.). Retrieved August 19, 2024, from https://iep.utm.edu/descartes-mind-body-distinction-dualism
Descartes: ‘I Think Therefore I Am’—New Learning Online. (n.d.). Retrieved August 19, 2024, from https://newlearningonline.com/new-learning/chapter-7/committed-knowledge-the-modern-past/descartes-i-think-therefore-i-am
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