The mind-body Cartesian dualism and psychiatry

Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2018 Mar;20(1):3. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2018.20.1/fthibaut.

Abstract

The French philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650) argued that the natures of mind and body are completely different from one another and that each could exist by itself. How can these two structures with different natures causally interact in order to give rise to a human being with voluntary bodily motions and sensations? Even today, the problem of mind-body causal interaction remains a matter of debate.

Keywords: Descartes; body-mind dualism; neurology; psychiatry; psychosomatics.

Publication types

  • Editorial

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Mental Disorders / diagnosis
  • Mental Disorders / physiopathology
  • Mental Disorders / psychology*
  • Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical / physiology*
  • Philosophy, Medical*
  • Psychiatry / methods*
  • Psychiatry / trends