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Single Idea 5018
[filed under theme 17. Mind and Body / D. Property Dualism / 5. Supervenience of mind
]
Full Idea
Even if we suppose God had united a body and a soul so closely that they couldn't be closer, and made a single thing out of the two, they would still remain distinct, because God has the power of separating them, or conserving out without the other.
Gist of Idea
Even if tightly united, mind and body are different, as God could separate them
Source
René Descartes (Principles of Philosophy [1646], I.60)
Book Ref
Descartes,René: 'Philosophical Essays and Correspondence', ed/tr. Ariew,Roger [Hackett 2000], p.247
A Reaction
If Descartes lost his belief in God (after discussing existence with Kant) would he cease to be a dualist? This quotation seems to be close to conceding a mind-body relationship more like supervenience than interaction.
The
23 ideas
from 'Principles of Philosophy'
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3656
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The greatest good for a state is true philosophers
[Descartes]
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3658
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Total doubt can't include your existence while doubting
[Descartes]
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5004
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We can know basic Principles without further knowledge, but not the other way round
[Descartes]
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12730
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We will not try to understand natural or divine ends, or final causes
[Descartes]
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16601
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Matter is not hard, heavy or coloured, but merely extended in space
[Descartes]
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15987
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Physics only needs geometry or abstract mathematics, which can explain and demonstrate everything
[Descartes]
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5005
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I think, therefore I am, because for a thinking thing to not exist is a contradiction
[Descartes]
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5006
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'Thought' is all our conscious awareness, including feeling as well as understanding
[Descartes]
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5007
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Most errors of judgement result from an inaccurate perception of the facts
[Descartes]
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5009
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We do not praise the acts of an efficient automaton, as their acts are necessary
[Descartes]
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5008
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The greatest perfection of man is to act by free will, and thus merit praise or blame
[Descartes]
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5010
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Our free will is so self-evident to us that it must be a basic innate idea
[Descartes]
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5011
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There are two ultimate classes of existence: thinking substance and extended substance
[Descartes]
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5012
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'Nothing comes from nothing' is an eternal truth found within the mind
[Descartes]
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5013
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A substance needs nothing else in order to exist
[Descartes]
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16630
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If we perceive an attribute, we infer the existence of some substance
[Descartes]
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16633
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A substance has one principal property which is its nature and essence
[Descartes]
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5014
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We can understand thinking occuring without imagination or sensation
[Descartes]
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5016
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Five universals: genus, species, difference, property, accident
[Descartes]
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5015
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A universal is a single idea applied to individual things that are similar to one another
[Descartes]
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5017
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In thinking we shut ourselves off from other substances, showing our identity and separateness
[Descartes]
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5018
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Even if tightly united, mind and body are different, as God could separate them
[Descartes]
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16744
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All powers can be explained by obvious features like size, shape and motion of matter
[Descartes]
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