(24) What clear and
distinct conception has he got of thought in most intimate union with a
certain particle of extended matter? (25) What clear and distinct
conception has he got of thought in most intimate union with a certain
particle of extended matter? (26) But he had so distinct a conception
of mind being distinct from body, that he could not assign any particular
cause of the union between the two, or of the mind itself, but was obliged
to have recourse to the cause of the whole universe, that is to God.
(Prf:27) Further, I should much like to know, what degree of motion the
mind can impart to this pineal gland, and with what force can it hold it
suspended? (28) For I am in ignorance, whether this gland can be agitated
more slowly or more quickly by the mind than by the animal spirits, and
whether the motions of the passions, which we have closely united with
firm decisions, cannot be again disjoined therefrom by physical causes;
in which case it would follow that, although the mind firmly intended to
face a given danger, and had united to this decision the motions of
boldness, yet at the sight of the danger the gland might become suspended
in a way, which would preclude the mind thinking of anything except
running away. (29) In truth, as there is no common standard of volition
and motion, so is there no comparison possible between the powers of the
mind and the power or strength of the body; consequently the strength of
one cannot in any wise be determined by the strength of the other.
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