How did Descartes explain the functioning and interaction of the human body and the human mind? What is the role of the conarium?
The body was considered matter by Descartes, so he argued that the body must then be governed by physical laws. He compared the body to a machine, and went on to explain the functioning of body by the laws of physics.
Descartes compared each body part with the machines that he had witnessed, when he had been to Paris.. He compared the pipes to nerves and muscles to tendons. Descartes arrived at this conclusion that frequent bodily movements occurred, without conscious efforts. He is often credited, as the conceiver of the idea of reflex action theory.
He also supported the trend that human behavior is predictable and just like a machine operates, in a rhythmic motion. The body performs functions that can be analyzed if the given instructions are familiar. According to Descartes, the mind is a non-physical entity. It has the capability to perform cognitive functions, but does not have any physical substance.
The mind has the capability to think has led the mind to perceive, and somehow influence the human body. For example, the body moves from one place to another, using its tendons, and undertakes this instruction given from mind. Similarly, when light is the stimulus, the mind perceives the light or heat and accordingly, directs the body to do the necessary actions.
Descartes believed that the interaction between the mind and brain, originates from someplace in the brain. As it was known that all the sensations travel up to the brain via nerves. The brain was the converging centre for all minds function. The coranium is the pineal body, which belongs to the part of the brain which is in unitary. Descartes chose this place as the valid point of interaction.