Cartesian Dualism Essay

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The term “medicine” is generally associated with objectivity. We usually think of biology, anatomy, scientists, and surgeons. However, the Merriam-Webster dictionary gives a more encompassing definition as “the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease” (Medicine. Merriam-
Webster.com). From the definition we see “science” but more interestingly we see “art”, which introduces a dimension of subjectivity. The duality is best exemplified in the distinction between disease (which has pathological causes) and illness (the subjective experience of having health issues). This concept of illness itself justifies a call for a biocultural approach - one that examines both biological and …show more content…

In
North America where the roots of Cartesian Dualism are firm, many people have misconceptions about the nature of mental illnesses. The fact is this: a mental illness is the result of an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. The victim of this imbalance must therefore be treated as just that: a victim. So often are the mentally ill blamed for their affliction, that one must suspect some cultural influence. The converse of Cartesian
Dualism is the Buddhist notion that the “mind exists within nature” (Lock, 39). Of late, neuroscience has confirmed various Buddhist ideas including the non-existence of self.
It is important that we keep an open mind about the ideas that circulate within our culture, and remain willing to learn from others. This applies to medicine as well.
Ultimately, medicine is inextricably linked to subjectivity, and the more we accept this, the more effective our ability to implement the discoveries of science become. Not only does the notion of illness as the subjective experience of disease necessitate a biocultural approach to medicine, the very definition and purpose

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