{"product_id":"what-am-i-descartes-and-the-mind-body-problem-paperback","title":"What Am I?: Descartes and the Mind-Body Problem - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eJoseph Almog\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn his \u003cem\u003eMeditations\u003c\/em\u003e, René Descartes asks, \"what am I?\" His initial answer is \"a man.\" But he soon discards it: \"But what is a man? Shall I say 'a rational animal'? No: for then I should inquire what an animal is, what rationality is, and in this way one question would lead down the slope to harder ones.\" Instead of understanding what a man is, Descartes shifts to two new questions: \"What is Mind?\" and \"What is Body?\" These questions develop into Descartes's main philosophical preoccupation: the Mind-Body distinction. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e How can Mind and Body be independent entities, yet joined--essentially so--within a single human being? If Mind and Body are really distinct, are human beings merely a \"construction\"? On the other hand, if we respect the integrity of humans, are Mind and Body merely aspects of a human being and not subjects in and of themselves? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e For centuries, philosophers have considered this classic philosophical puzzle. Now, in this compact, engaging, and long-awaited work, UCLA philosopher Joseph Almog closely decodes the French philosopher's argument for distinguishing between the human mind and body while maintaining simultaneously their essential integration in a human being. He argues that Descartes constructed a solution whereby the trio of Human Mind, Body, and Being are essentially interdependent yet remain each a genuine individual subject. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Almog's reading not only steers away from the most popular interpretations of Descartes, but also represents a scholar coming to grips directly with Descartes himself. In doing so, Almog creates a work that Cartesian scholars will value, and that will also prove indispensable to philosophers of language, ontology, and the metaphysics of mind.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJoseph Almog\u003c\/strong\u003e is Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Los Angeles, and editor of \u003cem\u003eThemes from Kaplan\u003c\/em\u003e (Oxford, 1989).\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 160\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.37 x 8 x 5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 14, 2005\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67946381181149,"sku":"9780195177190","price":105.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0811\/9867\/8237\/files\/d5t42Ccd5I9780195177190.webp?v=1790801488","url":"https:\/\/handfulofbooks.com\/products\/what-am-i-descartes-and-the-mind-body-problem-paperback","provider":"Handful of Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}