Disney and Philosophy by Richard Brian Davis & William Irwin

Author:Richard Brian Davis & William Irwin
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781119538356
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2019-10-21T00:00:00+00:00

I Think, Therefore I Am?

There is something else you need to know about Descartes. He endorsed a stoic attitude toward the body, even if that body was in a state of illness. In his correspondence with Princess Elisabeth,1 Descartes urges her to use her mind to control her body and overcome bodily illness. Descartes' attitude mirrors Nike's message to “Just do it.” You might be ready to pass out, but just will yourself through and overcome bodily pains and limitations. It's freeing to imagine we can control our bodies and do anything if our wills are strong enough. Mind over matter! It's liberating and fear‐reducing to think that our minds can overcome the physicality of the body. Sometimes we can do this: childbirth, firefighters saving multiple lives, ordinary people lifting incredible weights to save a child. Yet, what does this model say to those suffering from illness, those who try to push through but can't will themselves out of a fever? When we emphasize the mind/brain's abilities, we sometimes lose sight of our real living bodies at work in the world.

One of Descartes' main tasks in the Meditations on First Philosophy2 was to explain human nature, the relationship between mind and body. Even though he admits we need our bodies to provide the sensory information that helps us discover scientific laws, at our core we are thinking beings. Mind over matter! What we truly are is really distinct from our bodies. Descartes doesn't think the emotions should be eliminated, but he does think they need training and guidance, in order to imagine new states of affairs when emotions overwhelm us. Descartes identifies six (not five!) core “primitive” passions: wonder, love, hatred, desire, joy, and sadness. He takes a very stoic attitude toward these passions, making it all too easy to blame someone for not being smart enough or strong enough to master their emotions.

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