Here is the synopsis of our sample research paper on Dualism and Descartes. Have the paper e-mailed to you 24/7/365.
Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 5 page paper which discusses how Descartes differentiated
between mind or soul and body, a theory referred to as dualism. Arguments for and
against dualism are provided in brief. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Page Count:
5 pages (~225 words per page)
File: JR7_RAdualism.doc
Buy This Term Paper »
Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
is a philosophy that divides all of life into opposites - two entities of conflicting natures. It can be seen in such examples as God/good vs. Satan/evil and light vs.
dark" (Fuqua dualism.html). Speaking from a historical and philosophical standpoint, it was Plato who was perhaps the first great dualist. He divided all things into their separate
categories and strongly argued that this was the only way in which to look at the surrounding world and all it contained. His primary division, however, was into the realms
of being and becoming. this can also be seen as the division seen between knowledge and opinion. "However, even before Plato the Zoroastrians believed in an ethical dualism whose influence
is still seen today. Despite Zoroasters supposed assertions that the Supreme Deity is one, known as Ahura Mazda, Zoroastrianism soon incorporated a dualistic system of deities who were engaged in
an eternal struggle for the souls of man" (Fuqua dualism.html). It was under the schooling of Ren? Descartes that dualism received new life. This occurred during the seventeenth century, when
he and his followers felt that there was clearly an absolute difference in mind and matter, those elements that the world and humans are comprised of. Dualism
and Descartes Descartes believed that the two elements were mind and soul, or mental substance ("ghost"), and physical or extended substance ("machine"). In the following we see some of the
difference in the two conditions of existence. With mental substance there exists "Non-spatial consciousness and objects of consciousness (simple and compound ideas)" where with extended substance we see "Spatial (three-dimensional)
matter in motion (including ones own body)" (Ziniewicz mindbody.html). Mental substance "Can determine itself; is absolutely free; can accept or reject any notion" while extended substance "Is determined (moved)
...