笛卡尔的“动物是机器”理论探究

Theory Analysis of Descartes “Animals are Machines”

笛卡尔早期把动物比作自动机,提出了“动物是机器”的观点,由此从动物界扩展到了整个物质世界,为其机械唯物论思想提供了理论支持,并通过身心二元论的视角强调人与动物的根本区别在于是否拥有理性的灵魂。在后期,笛卡尔用身心交感说消弭其早年在灵魂与肉体之间划下的鸿沟。笛卡尔的动物观是在充满着矛盾和自我修正的过程中发展的,虽然有人提出质疑,但它仍对当时的社会思潮及后世哲学起到了积极的启发和引导作用。

Descartes put forward the idea that"Animals are Machines"in his early academic career."Animals are automata"is the most critical theoretical support for his mechanical materialism.From the perspective of physical and mental dualism,his theories emphasized that the fundamental difference between human beings and animals lied in whether they had a rational soul or not.In addition,Descartes proofed his theories by using evidence from medicine,therefore,his vision was extended from the animal world to the physical world.Descartes used the theory of physical and mental sympathy to bridge the gap between soul and physical body in his late stage.To sum up,Descartes’view of animals developed in the process of full of contradictions and self-revision.However,some of the philosophers questioned the theories of Descartes,it still played a positive role in inspiring and guiding the social trend of thought at that time and the philosophy of later generations.