Active Versus Passive Mind Debate Essay Example for Free

Active Versus Passive look Debate Essaytienne Bonnot de Condillac an 18th-century French philosopher contended that the senses are the foundation for all ideas and other functions carried out in the mind. another(prenominal) prominent French philosopher, Ren Descartes supported the Rationalistic surmisal an explanation of behavior based on logic that has nothing to do with the senses. Condillacs Sensationalism premise and Descartes theory of Rationalism serve as open fire for the classic busy versus passive mind debate.The passive mind theory suggests that all learning occurs by means of the experience of sensations, in the absence of voluntary mind control processes, while the active mind theory claims the exact opposite that individuals actively focus certain mental processes on the subject matter and the senses bring no incite in the process. Descartes also believed that sensory data was inclined to be false and was wherefore useless, suggesting that mathematical ded uction was the only path to the truth. Justin Skirry 2008I believe that both theories have some validity. The conundrum arises for me with the use of the word all by Condillac, and the use of the word only by Descartes, which is what takes the theories from the moderate part of the continuum to the extreme. Sensory learning is of course a proven fact, but it is also a fact that active learning occurs as well. It is not unusual for a philosopher to be both a sensationalist and a rationalist at the same time.I tend to trust my deductive powers of reasoning more than my senses, because some outside forces can alter the senses. Take emotion for instance, I am aware of the role unchecked emotions can play in faulty decision-making. I have learned not to make fundamental decisions when I am in a highly emotional state.