Summary of Descartes (Segunda Parte)

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In his book "The Error of Descartes," Dr. Antonio Damasio criticizes the theory of the mind-body split put forth by philosopher Rene Descartes. Damasio argues that the mind and body are connected, and that this connection can be understood through basic principles of mechanics.

• 00:00:00 Descartes presents his method of doubt, the metaphysical method, and shows how he arrives at the conclusion that there are three substances: the first substance that he finds is the mind, which in Latin means "that which thinks." Descartes describes this in the third meditation. The next step is communication with yourself, which Descartes identifies as something that the internal voice you hear is. He calls this the "cognitive" or "knowing" faculty, and it is something that he identifies with the "real" or "intelligent" substance, which he calls "res cogitans." He reasons that since we think, therefore the thing that thinks must exist. One of the reasons he believes in God is because he accepted the ontological argument of Saint Anselm of Canterbury. Descartes also presents a second reason for believing in existence: the innate idea. These are ideas that are found in the subject from birth but are not due to the person perceiving them or due to the person's experience. Rather, they are found from the very beginning, in the very nature of the subject. Descartes argues that the human mind is capable of understanding the body in terms of mechanics, which at the time was a revolutionary
• 00:05:00 Antonio Damasio, a contemporary doctor who specializes in neurology, wrote a book criticizing the idea that the mind and body are separate entities in the 1700s. The philosopher, Franscisco Descartes, is renowned for his work on philosophy, but is also known for his theory that the mind is separate from the body. Damasio argues that Descartes was wrong and that the mind and body are connected in a way that can be understood through basic principles of mechanics. His book, "The Error of Descartes," is a critical analysis of this theory.