History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 478 This Gland Is Your Gland: Cartesian Science
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Oct 19, 2025 Discover how Descartes revolutionized science, influencing medicinal practices and challenging established norms. Explore his intriguing focus on the pineal gland as the soul's seat and his mechanistic view of living bodies. Delve into debates surrounding blood transfusions and circulation, and hear about the experimental rebukes from contemporaries like Steno. The podcast highlights Descartes' blend of observation and theory, and how his followers grappled with criticism while advancing early scientific ideas.
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Mechanics Over Forms
- Descartes offered a new scientific paradigm built on corpuscles and mechanistic explanations rather than Aristotelian forms.
- His methods reshaped science more by framing problems than by making correct empirical claims.
Theory Shapes Observation
- Descartes combined empirical dissection with arguments from first principles in physiology.
- He located the soul in the pineal gland using theoretical criteria like simplicity and centrality.
Regius The Cartesian Physician
- Henricus Regius was a prominent Cartesian physician who defended Descartes' anatomy and natural philosophy.
- Descartes complained Regius reduced mind-body relations too far, straining their relationship.
