Descartes’s 6th mediation where he argues that a person is a union of mind

Write A 4 Page Essay About Descartes’s 6th Mediation Where He Argues That A Person Is A Union Of Mind And Body.

I: Introduce the topic. The topic is on Descartes’s 6th mediation where he argues that a person is a union of mind a body.

Tell the reader what it means for a person to be a union of mind and body.

Tell the reader what exactly you will be doing in your paper. What is your paper about?

Remember: You are writing a critical paper. In the 6th

mediation, Descartes presents an argument that a person is a union of mind and body. You will be criticizing that argument.

II: Thesis Statement: It should be something like this: I will argue in my essay that Descartes argument that a person is a union of mind an body is

unsound.

 

III: Exposition:

State Descartes’s argument. Write out each premise of the argument.

For instance:

Premise 1: My mind is indivisible

Premise 2: My body is divisible

Conclusion1: My mind and my body are distinct

Conclusion2: I am a union of mind and body.

Provide full discussion of each of the premises. That is, tell the reader why a

reasonable person might accept each of the premises.

Tell the reader why we should think the mind is indivisible. What does it

mean to say that the mind is indivisible? It seems the mind is made up of

parts. The mind seems to consist of the intellect, emotions, imagination,

memory, sense perception, language, etc.

If it is made up of parts, then, couldn’t the parts be separated? If it can be

divided up into parts, then, isn’t it divisible? It seems so.

Why does Descartes think that it is still indivisible. What does he have in

mind?

Certainly the body is divisible. But, isn’t that because it has parts? If that is

the reason for saying the body is divisible, how do we then say the mind is

indivisible?

IV: Criticism:

Identify the weakest part of Descartes’s argument. That is, identify the

weaker of the two premises. Then, provide the strongest objection you can

think of against that premise. [Whichever of the two premises you decide to

attack, keep your focus on only that premise.]

I recommend you raise one objection. This is a short paper. You will not

have space to develop more than one objection. [Remember: In order to

take down an argument, you only need to take down one of its premises].

Then, respond, on Descartes’s behalf, to the objection you raised against his

argument. What would Descartes say in response to your objection to his

argument. He better have something to say. Make the response, on his

behalf, as strong as possible.

Then, response to that. What is your response to his response?

 

V: Conclusion:

 

Sum up what you take to be the lesson of your paper. That is, sum up for

the reader what he or she is supposed to have learned from having read

your paper.

You should have offered one original idea or insight in your paper. Tell us

what that original idea or insight is.

Your criticism of Descartes’s argument should be original with you. Tell the

reader what new idea you have introduced into this topic.