A Comparative Study of the Problem of the Relationship Between the Mind and Body in the Thoughts of Descartes and Mulla Sadra

Most philosophers have regarded humans as a psychosomatic reality, considering the individual human being as a unity composed of two distinct dimensions: immaterial and material, which are interrelated. However, the manner in which these two distinct sub- stances relate to each other has leaded humanity to numerous challenges. Hence, Des- cartes and Mulla Sadra, have attempted to elucidate the relationship between the mind and body. Therefore, comparing thoughts of Mulla Sadra and Descartes regarding the issue of the mind and body, along with the proposed solutions by these two philosophers, can address numerous human inquiries regarding the dual constituents forming the reality of human existence. This article, using a descriptive-analytical method, comes to conclu- sion that Descartes considered the pineal gland as the primary agent of the interaction between the mind and body, whereas Mulla Sadra, based on the theory of material crea- tion and substantial motion of the mind, deemed the interaction between the mind and body feasible.