Cartesian Dualism Analysis

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In the Scheper-Hughes and Lock reading (1987), one thing has stood out for me and that is Cartesian dualism. Where the body is viewed according to its physical and symbolic state. Which comes into effect when I consider the application of race, class, gender, politics and culture in everyday life and how that affects me personally. I would like to discuss how to a certain, extent that the reading has changed the views of my own body and that of others around me. However, in terms of the ways we deal with bodies as to how they are treated, whether any account is taken for them and if pain and suffering is taken for bodies, especially those that are marginalized. That to be honest I am not happy with and I will elaborate further later on. Descartes’ quote of “ I think therefore I am”, is one that I agree with, yet at the same time I find rather problematic. Especially in the context of Cartesian dualism, which focuses on the physical form, along with the symbolic form. I agree with it in terms of the symbolic form, in that I believe that the mind and the body are aligned and that sometimes physical …show more content…

This type of body has consequences on a macro level as all bodies, whether collective or individual are controlled through regulation and any form of deviance from social norms results in exclusion or punishment. This is exercised through power in a biological form as mentioned by Foucault (1976). Thus I believe that not all bodies are treated well. If anything, bodies that do not meet the western criteria are ill treated and marginalized. Secondly, I do not think authentic account is taken for bodies that outside of the western spaces, as if this was truly the case then the pain and suffering would not continue if all bodies were truly