Comparing Descartes And Strawson's Argumentative
This essay will focus on distinguishing the difference between what it is to be a material thing and a thinking René Descartes supports the claim that we as humans are made up of two separate substances, a mind and body, and this is what distinguishes a thinking thing or human being, from a material thing Peter Strawson critiques this argument and presents us with a strong rebuttal with two key arguments, the problem of the subject side and the identity and numerability argument. He is able to sway the conclusion in favour of the claim made in the title, that our belief is more certain that we are a material thing
Cartesian dualism is a key idea stressed by Descartes in his Second Meditation. It contributes to the belief that you are a …show more content…
As an anti-Cartesian he begs the idea that the individual mind is derivative from an individual person. In order for an immaterial Cartesian mind to be justified or identified it must be related to a specific body in order to make it unique. Therefore the two entities must be related and not separate as argued by Descartes. That is to say, “we must know the difference between one such item and two” and “we must know how to identify the same item at different times.” His primary claim against Cartesianism arises with the difficulty as to how one identifies the same item or being at different times, and what distinguishes one from two or more items? He asks if it is possible to really understand the concept of an individual unless one can say what it is for someone to be a unique person or soul.. From this idea, Strawson holds that the Cartesian cannot give a justified account of how souls are identified, unless they subject themselves to the concept of individual human beings and therefore reject the idea of Cartesian dualism, which thereby significantly weakens the former argument in favour of us being more certain that we are thinking
Cartesian dualism is a key idea stressed by Descartes in his Second Meditation. It contributes to the belief that you are a …show more content…
As an anti-Cartesian he begs the idea that the individual mind is derivative from an individual person. In order for an immaterial Cartesian mind to be justified or identified it must be related to a specific body in order to make it unique. Therefore the two entities must be related and not separate as argued by Descartes. That is to say, “we must know the difference between one such item and two” and “we must know how to identify the same item at different times.” His primary claim against Cartesianism arises with the difficulty as to how one identifies the same item or being at different times, and what distinguishes one from two or more items? He asks if it is possible to really understand the concept of an individual unless one can say what it is for someone to be a unique person or soul.. From this idea, Strawson holds that the Cartesian cannot give a justified account of how souls are identified, unless they subject themselves to the concept of individual human beings and therefore reject the idea of Cartesian dualism, which thereby significantly weakens the former argument in favour of us being more certain that we are thinking