lesson iv the body

7/29/2019 Lesson IV the Body

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PHILOSOPHY OF

THE BODY


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I. Historical

Considerations:

The Problem of Dualism

What is Dualism?

Basically dualism which is introduced byPlato is a theory that there are two kinds

of substance; physical and mental

substance. Physical substance means

something that is material which is

known as our body while mental

substance, in human being, is what is

considered as immaterial self or thesoul.


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According to Plato:

The soul and body are two differentsubstances and are separate with no

substantial and natural connection

characterizing a unity. Their relation,however, can be described only

accidental and nominal. Henceforth,

essential connection and interaction

between the two are merely superficial.


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According to Aristotle:

- The body as matter and soul asform.

- The soul must be a substance

as the form of natural bodypotential with life, and [such]

substance is an actuality. So the

soul is the actuality of such abody.


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- the soul is a function of an

organized body and thereforeis not a subject of

independency and separate

existence.- However, as a result of his

opinion, the soul is not eternal

but generated and therefore asubject of time and

corruption.


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The Christian

Philosophers:

1. St. Augustine:

- Man is the unity of body and soul. He

canexist only as this unity.

2. St. Thomas Aquinas:

-The soul is not man. It belongs to thenature of man to be composed of soul,

flesh and bones.


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According to Descartes:

I rightly conclude that myessence consists only in my

being a thinking thing [or a

substance whose whole essenceor nature is merely thinking]. And

although I may, or rather, as I will

shortly say, although I certainly

do possess a body with which I

am very closely conjoined;


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nevertheless, because, on the

one hand, I have a clear and

distinct idea of myself, in as faras I am only a thinking thing and

unextended thing, and as, on the

other hand, I possess a distinctidea of body, in as far as it is only

an extended thingand unthinking

thing, it is certain that I [that is,my mind, by which I am when I

am] am entirely and truly distinct

from my body and may exist


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CONCLUSION

Descartes is actually proposing no

clear elucidation of in what mannersoul actually relates to body because

he claims that mind is not directly

affected by body. Yet we know thatthere is causal interaction between

mind and physical world. Then, would

it be right to suggest that mind isactually a physical thing? Descartes

and his predecessor, Plato, fail to

explain the natural and essential

relation of body and soul.


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The Approach of Materialism:

- Materialist considers that aperson is his body, nothing else

but that, and what we understand

as mind is nothing but bodilyphenomena. According to them,

human being should be studied in

terms of physical methods.


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- However, materialism possesses

ambiguities and difficulties more

than that of dualism. One classic

objection is how can we explain

the presence of thoughts. Are

thoughts, pains, love, and hate

merely blend or reactions of

material products taking place in

our body ? Can we, imaginatively,

clone a complete physical human

being and then ask it to show


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- Suppose materialism is true, can

we measure dimensions of pains,thoughts, love and other mental

states as what we do with

spaciotemporal substance suchas kidney, brain or heart?

Materialism then is caught into

the same problem as previoustheories.


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A.The Primary Reflection:- the process of ob-jectum

(thrown in front). This is a

Cartesian approach. The body isanalyzed, systematized and

conceptualized.

- the body becomes no longermy

body but a body. A body is an

objective idea apart from me. I have

nothing to do with it nor does it have

anything to do with my life.

Gabriel Marcel:


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A.The Secondary Reflection:

- the process of sub-jectum

(thrown beneath). I am part of the

thing I am investigating. I have

something to do with it and has

something to do with me.

- What exist is not just a body but

my body. My body that is uniquelymine alone. This is a starting point

of Marcels philosophy of the body.


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What is meant by Marcels my body statement?

1.My body is mine and mine alone: I own

my body.

2. I have a responsibility over my body

and I take care of it, e.g., nourish it, let

it sleep, bathe it, etc.

3. I have control over my body: I can do

whatever I want it to do if it can, e.g.,sit, walk, etc.


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What is meant by Marcels my body statement?

-The body that I can say I have is a body-object, a

body that I or anybody can use it treats the body asonly a possession, its being mine loses its meaning.-Thus, the experience of my body is the experience of I-body (body-subject). There is no gap between me andmy body. In short, I am my body. I cannot separatemyself from my body. My being-in-the-world is not thebodily life alone nor the spiritual life alone but the life ofan embodied spirit (etre incarnee).-Myself is absolutely embodied I cannot detach my

body from myself and I cannot reduce my self to mybody: I also experience myself as an I spirit and willthat can never be imprisoned in my flesh and bones.-Thus, there are two faces shown in my experience of my

body: I have my body and I am my body.


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The BODY as intermediary:

A.This is an experience of self as being-in-the-worldthrough my body. Through my body, mysubjectivity is openness to the world and theworld is opened to me; the world fills me, and I

fill the world.B.Because of my body, I experience the world asseparate from me. I am not-world, and theworld is not I. I also experience the self as

outside of the world, I am the one who seesand gives name to that and this. My body showsthat I am not simply a thing among other thingsin nature. In other words, my body participates in

the world but cannot be reduced to it.


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The BODY as intersubjectivity:

A.My body is also between me and others thelanguage of my body has its own grammar

and rhetoric in expressing my interiority.

Embodiment is the gesture and appearance

of what I truly feel inside. I cannot say I loveyou if I do not show this love to you etc.

B.The paradox intersubjectivity: I can smile at

my friends while suffering inside because of

frustration. My body shows myself but I canalso be a mask that hides what I truly think or

feel.


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The value of the BODY:

A.My body has a unique value and dignity. It

directs me not only to the world and to others

but also to God. In 1 Cor. 6,15-18, St. Paulstates, You know that your bodies are parts

of the body of Christ

lesson iv the body

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