In Discourse Descartes alludes to the mind as immaterial. We also find that Descartes states reason, imagination, and memory do not reside at given locations, but rather are present to interact with the body. I think Descartes is distinguishing thoughts from physical interactions of the body. What does it mean for our thoughts to be immaterial?
When I use my mind I do so in a realm that cannot be touched, but it can be accounted for. Descartes points out what we perceive is immaterial (the mind), because we cannot account for it physically but we know the event happened. I think Descartes at the very least succeeds in establishing the possibility of the reality of immaterialness. For if he fails to demonstrate that the mind is immaterial and it is not real, then we cannot account for our thoughts. If we cannot account for our thoughts we have been plunged into an abyss of irrationality. Thus, no amount of reasoning will be equalvalent to ultimate meaning.
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