Descartes' philosophy is often associated with Cartesian dualism, whose essential characteristic is the distinction between the body and the soul. Such emphasis on this distinction can become challenging since it can lead to a total division of the body and the soul. The goal of this diploma thesis is to provide a different interpretation of Descartes' ideas, which is closely related to the phenomenology of the French thinker Jean-Luc Marion. The first part of the thesis focuses on Descartes and his most important works, in which he outlined his understanding of the body and the soul. The second part of the paper deals with the prevalent interpretation of Descartes' philosophy, which puts considerable emphasis on his dualism. The third part of the text describes Marion's understanding of Descartes, which differs from the general understanding of Cartesian philosophy. Marion first analyses Descartes' Sixth Mediation, where he emphasizes the notion of »my body«. My body is different from all other bodies and is inextricably intertwined with my soul. This union of body and soul is what allows for a fullness of the mind, which includes perception. Marion is thus able to introduce the notion of Descartes' passive thought and he uses an analysis of passion to demonstrate the limitations of people's free will, which also affects their activities, as well as to successfully reject Cartesian dualism.
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