Decoding Human Rationality: A Study of Descartes' Perspective

Rene Descartes’ “Discourse on the Method” focuses on distinguishing the human rationale, apart from animals and robots. Wherein, he does so by explaining how neither animals, nor machines possess the same mental faculties as humans. For Descartes distinguishes the human rationale apart from non-humans, even though he does agree the two closely resemble each other because of their sense organs, and physical functions (Descartes, pp22). Nevertheless, it is because the mechanical lacks a necessary aspect of the mind, which consequently separates them from humans. For in Descartes “Discourse on the Method,” he argues that the noteworthy difference between humans, and the mechanical is that machines are only respond to the world because of their

“Rather they don’t have minds at all, and that it is their innate nature that acts in according to the disposition of their environment” (Descartes, pp23). Descartes is asserting that both animals and machines function only in accordance to their sense organs. For the mechanical is able to recognize inputs from the external world, yet they lack the faculties to understanding the significance of it. Additionally, the Descartes equates non-human to machines, because both entities operate on the structure of the ‘sensitive soul’ (Descartes, pp21). For the mechanical are entities which possess sense organs that function similarly to the human body (vision, hearing, touching, etc.). However, the bodily function of the mechanical only reacts when external inputs come into contact with it, or must fulfill requirements for bodily preservation (food, drink, shelter). Whereas humans possess the capacity of reason, which enables us to contemplate and understand information obtained or unknown to the sense organs. Significantly, because the human mind possesses the faculty to reason, enables the individual to find understanding in what they do, and why they do it. Whereas Descartes is asserting that machines and non-humans are only reacting in respect to their surrounding environment, and cannot comprehend what they do, and why they do so, nor do they seek the

For I disagree that we have yet to construct a system that is similar to the human rationale. The Reason is because humans have yet to fully comprehend what the Mind completely is, whereas we fully understand the function of the physical brain. However, if because we do not fully understand the mind in its divisions of subjective, intentional, and normative forms mental intellect, then we lack the sufficient information to program a machine with the human psyche. Consequently, without fully understanding the mind, we cannot properly build an AI that reaches Descartes Line. Nevertheless, if we were to obtain all necessary information to understand the functions of the mind. Then how do we create definite data in what is subjective to the individual, and program it in to an objective form of artificial intelligence. For there are different environments, and experiences that create different psychologies in many people, which result in differing modes of the human mind. For the issue is, humans learn to reason and understand because of individual experiences. However, how would it be possible to simulate this information in to an artificial intelligence that could learn the same way. For the AI would require authentic interactions with the world and other people, opposed to gaining knowledge through social media, or the internet. For obtaining knowledge