A CRITIQUE OF DESCARTES MIND BODY PROBLEM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ASOUZU’S COMPLEMENTARY REFLECTION

ABSTRACT This work titled, “A Critique of Descartes Mind Body Problem from the Perspective of Asouzu’s Complementary Reflection, seeks to critically examine the mind body dualism from the perspective of Asouzu’s complentary reflection. Dualism is the claim that there are two, essentially different kinds or types of objects or categories in the world. In the setting of a dualistic theory all objects that exist, or can exist, in the ontology of the world, fall under one of the two categories. The two forms of reality are said to be essential different because they are mutually exclusive and are often defined by opposite characteristics. Perhaps the best and most apparent example of dualism is that which Descartes is led to through his metaphysical investigations in his Meditations. One of the conclusions reached by Descartes in the Meditations is that all entities that exist in the world fall under one of two categories, minds or bodies. Minds, according to Descartes are intangible, un-extended, and metaphysically prior to bodies. They are thinking things, entities capable of affirming, denying, judging, willing, unwilling, and having sense perceptions. Bodies on the other hand are tangible physical objects in the external world, have extension, and in some sense are seen to be reliant on minds for their existence. In Descartes’ philosophy we can see the characteristic signature of dualism. The entire universe is composed only of things falling into one of two categories. Everything is either a mind or a body, with no room for overlap. The essential features defining the two categories of substances are opposites, extension and tangibility of bodies on the one hand and non-extension and intangibility of minds on the other. And lastly, we find the need for both types of reality. Following Asouzu’s complentary reflection, the study argues that although these two states of existence are fundamentally different in most ways, both are needed to give a complete description of reality. Finally, the study contends that the world cannot be cast into a theory containing only bodies or minds, but rather must be seen as a conglomerate of the two for a better understanding of nature. ABSTRACT This work titled, “A Critique of Descartes Mind Body Problem from the Perspective of Asouzu’s Complementary Reflection, seeks to critically examine the mind body dualism from the perspective of Asouzu’s complentary reflection. Dualism is the claim that there are two, essentially different kinds or types of objects or categories in the world. In the setting of a dualistic theory all objects that exist, or can exist, in the ontology of the world, fall under one of the two categories. The two forms of reality are said to be essential different because they are mutually exclusive and are often defined by opposite characteristics. Perhaps the best and most apparent example of dualism is that which Descartes is led to through his metaphysical investigations in his Meditations. One of the conclusions reached by Descartes in the Meditations is that all entities that exist in the world fall under one of two categories, minds or bodies. Minds, according to Descartes are intangible, un-extended, and metaphysically prior to bodies. They are thinking things, entities capable of affirming, denying, judging, willing, unwilling, and having sense perceptions. Bodies on the other hand are tangible physical objects in the external world, have extension, and in some sense are seen to be reliant on minds for their existence. In Descartes’ philosophy we can see the characteristic signature of dualism. The entire universe is composed only of things falling into one of two categories. Everything is either a mind or a body, with no room for overlap. The essential features defining the two categories of substances are opposites, extension and tangibility of bodies on the one hand and non-extension and intangibility of minds on the other. And lastly, we find the need for both types of reality. Following Asouzu’s complentary reflection, the study argues that although these two states of existence are fundamentally different in most ways, both are needed to give a complete description of reality. Finally, the study contends that the world cannot be cast into a theory containing only bodies or minds, but rather must be seen as a conglomerate of the two for a better understanding of nature.