“...by a body I understand whatever has a determinable shape and a definable location and can occupy a space in such a way as to exclude any other body...”
I’m unclear whether extended things are extended in the three spatial dimensions essentially, and extended temporally (duration through time) only accidentally, or if temporal extension is also essential.
From this early definition of extension it appears that only spatial extension defines bodies, but earlier Descartes mentions duration through time as among the ‘primary qualities’ or elements of real objects.
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Timothy Chow on the NF consistency proof and Lean
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Descartes calls extension a chimera, which is like a mental illusion or fabrication. In this quote, he is trying to define his mental conception of the body. From the way he put it, it does sound like the body is defined only in spatial extensions because he is basing it on shape and location. I also think that temporal extension takes part in his mental conception of the body because the body exists through time.
"From this early definition of extension it appears that only spatial extension defines bodies..."
I agree, by him talking about only the body that takes up space, it looks like thats all he thinks the body is. But then when you read his other thoughts, he talks about about the brain and the mind. Which defines the body also.
the body is unique and profound, which is different from any other body before it and after it. Things that extend are temporary and necessary, if he is talking about extended body movements than yeah of course they are important and temporary, the body constantly extends and retracts, but supposedly they define our bodes
A determinable shape I believe is equal to an extended object in the three spatial dimensions, as you say. If it is a "body" and is known to "occupy space" it must have depth and dimension. Every item in the world must have a length, width, and height in order to exist in the world. Two- dimensions only exist on paper, and perhaps in dreams? BUt never as an extended thing in our world. However, I believe the two are necessary to remain- extended things (which consume shape ans space) and temporal extensions (in order to have hard proof of the actual existence of that extended object, where, when, and what was there, and in what mammer?) Both aspects are crucial in order to be "real" and factual.
I feel that the initial comment left by Christina D. summarizes my understanding of this portion of the discussion to a tee.
"I think therefore I am", a body in its assumed state must rely on the presence of a spatial form, but that form must be recognized as such by the mind to be considered fully functional.
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