Cartesian World

I'm not exactly sure if I was ever introduced to Rene Descartes before this class. Maybe, but I'm not sure. But I think one of the things that I'm taking away from this class is the idea of a cartesian world, and wondering what it would be like if our friend Descartes had never decided to sit down in his comfortable chair by the fire and contemplate his (our) world.

I mean, the cartesian grids, body-mind dualism, etc. etc. It makes me want to experience the world before Descartes. And it's hard to imagine, you know, because we live our lives influenced by this man, even though many of us (me, included, before this class) don't even know it!

I guess it kind of bothers me, but I intrigues me, as well. The idea that one man, with his thoughts alone, could create some sort of system that seems to be a part of our human nature more than just another human invention.

I guess I could say I'm taking a greater awareness of our cartesian world away with me. I'm more aware of it when I look at google maps, and I'm more aware of it when I wonder to myself whether my mind really is disconnected from my body. I've personally led a life under the belief that my mind and body will be disconnected when I die (ghost in the machine?) but that they are deeply connected as I live. I think a very simple explanation of this would be the following: when one feels depressed in the mind (sad, angsty, anxious, etc), does one not also feel it throughout the body?

I guess I realized that I was thinking about Descartes' meditations before I even knew who he was. Now that I know who he is, I may have better grounds on which to support my own opinions rather than grasping for something that might help to explain how I'm feeling.