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This 3 page paper reports what Aquinas and Descartes said about the mind-body relationship, concluding that neither solved the problem. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
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3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: MM12_PGmndbd.rtf
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three dimensions (Pasnau, 2002). Descartes opinion was influenced by Augustine and Aquinas and Aquinas belief was influenced by Aristotle and Augustine (Pasnau, 2002). Augustine has proposed the essence of the
mind is thought (Pasnau, 2002). In fact, there is a significant similarity between Augustines comments on the mind and Descartes comments (Pasnau, 2002). Descartes proposed the mind is
the thinking substance and the body is the extended substance. He believed "all elements of reality are ultimately one or the other of these two heterogeneous substances (Pasnau, 2002). Descartes
also believed the pineal gland was the place where all thoughts were formed. Further, he thought the pineal glad was the seat of the soul (Lokhorst, 2005). Pasnau (2002) cites
Descartes interpretation of the mind and soul: "I consider the mind not as a part of the soul, but as the whole soul that thinks." Descartes said the mind
is a conscious, a thinking being insofar as it understands, imagines, wills and senses (Island of Freedom, 2003). The body is a being extended in breadth, length and width (Island
of Freedom, 2003). The mind is not divisible but the body is (Island of Freedom, 2003). The mind can exist without being extended, thus, theoretically, the mind could survive after
the body dies (Island of Freedom, 2003). Although Descartes saw the mind and body as two separate substances and also having different natures, he believed the two interact (Island of
Freedom, 2003). For example, the mind causes the body to move by moving a part of the brain (Island of Freedom, 2003). Any motion in that same part of the
brain brings about emotions and sensations (Island of Freedom, 2003). That is the pineal gland. In fact, in Passions of the Soul, Descartes identified the part of the brain that
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