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Single Idea 6553

[filed under theme 17. Mind and Body / A. Mind-Body Dualism / 2. Interactionism ]

Full Idea

Descartes himself was well aware of the interaction problem, and corresponded uncomfortably with Princess Elizabeth on the matter; …he pointed out that gravity is causal despite not being a physical object.

Gist of Idea

Descartes discussed the interaction problem, and compared it with gravity

Source

report of René Descartes (works [1643]) by William Lycan - Consciousness n1.3

Book Ref

Lycan,William G.: 'Consciousness' [MIT 1995], p.131


A Reaction

Lycan observes that at least gravity is in space-time, unlike the Cartesian mind. Pierre Gassendi had pointed out the problem to Descartes in the Fifth Objection to the 'Meditations' (see Idea 3400).

Related Idea

Idea 3400 Things must have parts to intermingle [Gassendi]


The 18 ideas with the same theme [mind and matter mutually affect one another]:

All the emotions seem to involve the body, simultaneously with the feeling [Aristotle]
The soul (or parts of it) is not separable from the body [Aristotle]
Only bodies can touch one another [Lucretius]
The contact of spirit and body is utterly amazing, and incomprehensible [Augustine]
Things must have parts to intermingle [Gassendi]
The soul must unite with the body to have appetites and sensations [Descartes]
Interaction between mental and physical seems to violate the principle of conservation of energy [Rowlands on Descartes]
The pineal gland links soul to body, and unites the two symmetrical sides of the body [Descartes, by PG]
Descartes discussed the interaction problem, and compared it with gravity [Descartes, by Lycan]
Mind and brain don't interact if they are the same [Searle]
Mental substance causation makes physics incomplete [Kim]
Cartesians consider interaction to be a miracle [Fodor]
Semantics v syntax is the interaction problem all over again [Fodor]
Body-spirit interaction ought to result in losses and increases of energy in the material world [Teichmann]
The very concept of a substance denies the possibility of mutual interaction and dependence [Scruton]
Maybe dualist interaction is possible at the quantum level? [Chalmers]
Supervenience makes interaction laws possible [Chalmers]
If causation is just regularities in events, the interaction of mind and body is not a special problem [Heil]