Anne Conway argued for the continuity of mind and body. During this essay I will first discuss three arguments Anne Conway made for the continuity of mind and body. I will then raise a question I have about her arguments. I will then consider how she may answer this question. I will conclude with whether or not this answer is satisfactory or not.
Anne Conway first argues that spirit and body do not differ in essence but rather only differ in degree. She argues that they differ in degree “based on the intimate union or bond that exists between spirits and bodies, by means of which spirits control the bodies they are united with, moving them around and using them as instruments in their various operations.” She furthers her argument by pushing against Descartes theory of a “vital fit” she suggests rather that this would not require a spirit to have such an organized body. She argues that if it were true that the spirit and the body differed entirely then when the spirit moved it would leave the body behind because they differ so much. Instead Conway thinks that the spirit and body work like a ship and its sails, in that the sails move the ship along much like the spirit moves the body along. If …show more content…
But if the spirit had nothing corporeal about it then why does it hurt when the body is hurt? It isn’t possible to say that only the body feels it because the soul is the thing that moves the body and causes senses in it. Therefore, one must accept that that the soul is of one nature with the body although the soul is more swift and has various other perfections. Furthermore, there are substances that are so finely divided that they can’t be held in by the bodies. Therefore, my argument that the spirit would escape like steam is not true because the spirit is not finely divided enough to escape, it is lumpier on the scale than other bodies that can
Anne Conway first argues that spirit and body do not differ in essence but rather only differ in degree. She argues that they differ in degree “based on the intimate union or bond that exists between spirits and bodies, by means of which spirits control the bodies they are united with, moving them around and using them as instruments in their various operations.” She furthers her argument by pushing against Descartes theory of a “vital fit” she suggests rather that this would not require a spirit to have such an organized body. She argues that if it were true that the spirit and the body differed entirely then when the spirit moved it would leave the body behind because they differ so much. Instead Conway thinks that the spirit and body work like a ship and its sails, in that the sails move the ship along much like the spirit moves the body along. If …show more content…
But if the spirit had nothing corporeal about it then why does it hurt when the body is hurt? It isn’t possible to say that only the body feels it because the soul is the thing that moves the body and causes senses in it. Therefore, one must accept that that the soul is of one nature with the body although the soul is more swift and has various other perfections. Furthermore, there are substances that are so finely divided that they can’t be held in by the bodies. Therefore, my argument that the spirit would escape like steam is not true because the spirit is not finely divided enough to escape, it is lumpier on the scale than other bodies that can