No Cartesian dualism: Spinoza rejects Descartes’ dualism of two substances (mind and body); there is only one substance with multiple attributes. Explanation and Practical Application Core Concept: Monism and Attributes Spinoza’s doctrine rejects the idea that the mind and body are two separate, interacting substances (Cartesian Dualism). Instead, there is only one fundamental substance (God/Nature).
The mind and the body are understood as two different ways of perceiving or experiencing this single reality, known as attributes (Thought and Extension). They are not separate entities interacting, but rather different descriptions of the same underlying event or entity.
Analogies for Understanding The Movie: The sound (Thought/Mind) and the visuals (Extension/Body) are distinct attributes, yet both express the very same movie (the single Substance). You cannot have one without the other. Practical Implications for Well-being This concept necessitates a holistic approach to existence and well-being:
Inseparability: Mental states are fundamentally inseparable from physical states. What occurs in the mind is simultaneously occurring in the body. Holism in Health: A mental phenomenon (e.g., stress) is not merely “in your head”; it is a physical state (e.g., cortisol levels, muscle tension). Similarly, physical illness manifests as mental states (e.g., brain fog, low mood). Unified Reality: Metrics related to health (HRV, sleep quality, mood) are all expressions of the same reality. A drop in Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is the body’s expression of the same reality the mind registers as feeling “stressed” or “under the weather.” Conclusion: To care effectively for the mind, one must care for the body, and vice versa, because they constitute a unified reality.