Plato and Descartes on the Relation of the Soul to the Body

1.) When comparing Plato and Descartes on the relation of the soul to the body, we can first see what the two philosophers have in common. The two philosophers both suggest that we consist of something that has no physical existence and are of the mind or of the soul, as well as the immortality of the soul.

Descartes strongly believes that the nature of the mind is completely separate from that of the body, and with that said he believes it is possible for one to exist without the other. Descartes can conclude that mind and body are separate from each other once he is free of his initial wholesale doubt concerning the real existence of body. In Meditation VI where the existence of material things is discussed, as well as the real difference between the soul and body of man, he gives an explanation for his reasoning for believing that the mind is better acknowledged than any human body. Descartes declares much more than a mind can exist without a natural body. Distinction is definite for him by the spirit of mind and the spirit of body. From this he believes he is able to conclude that "mind any mind can exist apart from body any body, and vice versa" (Meditation 6). He states "certain that my body (or rather myself in my entirety, inasmuch as I am formed of body and soul) may receive different impressions agreeable and disagreeable from the other bodies which surround it" (Meditation 6)

Plato's theory in the Phaedo is the recognition of thinking soul with animating soul. Plato believes that the soul is able to think best when it is not in conjunction with the body. Plato is able to give two reasons. Plato's first reason is that he sees we cannot connect in the type of thinking at our best when we are physically active. The second reason is that the soul has concealed inside a completely pure and beautiful type of knowledge which is only capable of coming entering the body before birth. Since a thinking soul is at its best when in full connection with the substances of this knowledge, Plato comes to the conclusion that the finest thing to do is to be separated from body by death.

2.) In Meditations, Descartes questions everything he has ever believed because it is human nature to believe things that are false. He says that most of the things he believes originates from the senses and many times can be deceived. His reasoning for doubting everything comes from his example of a basket of apples. You have a basket of apples, you think that some apples have gone bad and you don't want them to spoil the others, so you just throw everything out of the basket. Once the basket is empty you examine each apple and put back all the good apples in the basket. People treat their beliefs this same way. We follow and keep only the beliefs of which we are sure of. We only accept those beliefs we feel are good. Descartes is aware that we cannot kick every belief to the side, because beliefs are a part