The sixth meditation

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The sixth Meditation

The sixth meditation by Descartes tries to explain the existence of material things as well as establishing the real distinction between the body and the mind. Descartes makes a compelling argument in defense of his argument on the existence of material things by explaining their existence as a product of pure mathematics that makes them clearly and distinctly identifiable. In his arguments, Descartes explains how pure mathematics combined with the input from the faculty of imagination as well as people’s senses combine to offer a convincing argument in the sixth meditation. 

           Descartes’ success in making his case for the existence of material things and distinguishing the body and the mind lies in his ability to differentiate imagination and understanding. He uses the example of how people’s understanding of what a triangle is borrows from both what they understand a triangle to be combined with how they perceive a triangle in their head as a result of the information available. Using understanding, people examine the sides of a shape to determine whether it is a triangle or a different shape. Other than understanding, the conclusion drawn is also based on the individual’s imagination where one pictures the triangle in their mind’s eye. Although it is difficult to prove how or whether a triangle exists, Descartes argues that people can rely on their imagination and understanding of geometry to do away with any contradictions thus proving that material objects do exist. 

           Descartes not only succeeds in proving that material things exist but also manages to set a clear distinction between the body and the mind. In his argument, Descartes points out that, human beings have a passive faculty of sensory perceptions that helps them to receive input and recognize objects from the environment. According to Descartes, the ability to receive and recognize ideas and objects proves that there is an external force creating the input being received by the individual. He believes that people would not need the ability to receive and identify input if it was coming from the individual as there would be no need to interact with the outside world. However, since sensory perceptions allow people to interact with input from their environment, it then proves that material things exist as their input is picked up by the senses and interpreted by the mind. 

           In his argument, Descartes uses disjunctive syllogism to defend his passive faculty argument to further explain how the individual, the body, and God all exist. According to Descartes, human beings detect input when their bodies interact with the environments using their senses. The input is sent to the mind in form of signals which are then interpreted to determine what reaction will occur in the mind before being communicated back to the body. Descartes therefore successfully points out the correlation that occurs between the mind and the body when detecting input, thus proving that the mind exists separately from the body, further validating his claim that material things exist outside the mind. 

           Throughout the 6th meditation, Descartes offers convincing arguments backed by examples that support his claim. His arguments not only validate the notion that material things exist but also draw a distinction between the body and the mind. His explanation of how the body detects input from nature and then sends signals to the mind for interpretation proves that the mind and the body are separate entities functioning together to accomplish a common goal.