La fisiología filosófica de Descartes: entre el mecanicismo y el dualismo

Abstract

“Descartes’ Philosophical Physiology”. There is something strange about the waywe see Descartes’ doctrine. We know, on the one hand, that it is a dualism and,on the other, that it is a mechanicism. However, we seldom consider the factthat this combination is at odds with our current philosophical mores. Thecontemporary dualist is usually an anti-mechanicist and the contemporarymechanicist is usually an anti-dualist. This paper offers a revision of Descartes’main works in an attempt to render intelligible to contemporary readers a doctrinal combination the shocking nature of which we do not perceive for the solefact that we tend to maintain its diverse parts in separate compartments. Theproposed revision by the way shows us that Descartes is a much more interestingand rich author than what ordinary clichés let us perceive. Thus for example, aserious consideration of Descartes’ attempt to build a physics and a physiologywould lead us to recognize that his metaphysical concerns, against ordinaryopinion, are far from being the center of his work.