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being up to that point sufficiently clear and distinct； I yet
avail myself of them as though they were absolute rules by
which I might immediately determine the essence of the bodies
which are outside me； as to which； in fact； they can teach me
nothing but what is most obscure and confused。
But I have already sufficiently considered how；
notwithstanding the supreme goodness of God； falsity enters
into the judgments I make。 Only here a new difficulty is
presented￥one respecting those things the pursuit or avoidance
of which is taught me by nature； and also respecting the
internal sensations which I possess； and in which I seem to
have sometimes detected error ＇and thus to be directly
deceived by my own nature＇。 To take an example； the agreeable
taste of some food in which poison has been intermingled may
induce me to partake of the poison； and thus deceive me。 It
is true； at the same time； that in this case nature may be
excused； for it only induces me to desire food in which I find
a pleasant taste； and not to desire the poison which is
unknown to it； and thus I can infer nothing from this fact；
except that my nature is not omniscient； at which there is
certainly no reason to be astonished； since man； being finite
in nature； can only have knowledge the perfectness of which is
limited。
But we not unfrequently deceive ourselves even in those
things to which we are directly impelled by nature； as happens
with those who when they are sick desire to drink or eat
things hurtful to them。 It will perhaps be said here that the
cause of their deceptiveness is that their nature is corrupt；
but that does not remove the difficulty； because a sick man is
none the less truly God's creature than he who is in health；
and it is therefore as repugnant to God's goodness for the one
to have a deceitful nature as it is for the other。 And as a
clock posed of wheels and counter…weights no less exactly
observes the laws of nature when it is badly made； and does
not show the time properly； than when it entirely satisfies
the wishes of its maker； and as； if I consider the body of a
man as being a sort of machine so built up and posed of
nerves； muscles； veins； blood and skin； that though there were
no mind in it at all； it would not cease to have the same
motions as at present； exception being made of those movements
which are due to the direction of the will； and in consequence
depend upon the mind ＇as apposed to those which operate by the
disposition of its organs＇； I easily recognise that it would
be as natural to this body； supposing it to be； for example；
dropsical； to suffer the parchedness of the throat which
usually signifies to the mind the feeling of thirst； and to be
disposed by this parched feeling to move the nerves and other
parts in the way requisite for drinking； and thus to augment
its malady and do harm to itself； as it is natural to it； when
it has no indisposition； to be impelled to drink for its good
by a similar cause。 And although； considering the use to
which the clock has been destined by its maker； I may say that
it deflects from the order of its nature when it does not
indicate the hours correctly； and as； in the same way；
considering the machine of the human body as having been
formed by God in order to have in itself all the movements
usually manifested there； I have reason for thinking that it
does not follow the order of nature when； if the throat is
dry； drinking does harm to the conservation of health；
nevertheless I recognise at the same time that this last mode
of explaining nature is very different from the other。 For
this is but a purely verbal characterisation depending
entirely on my thought； which pares a sick man and a badly
constructed clock with the idea which I have of a healthy man
and a well made clock； and it is hence extrinsic to the things
to which it is applied； but according to the other
interpretation of the term nature I understand something which
is truly found in things and which is therefore not without
some truth。
But certainly although in regard to the dropsical body it
is only so to speak to apply an extrinsic term when we say
that its nature is corrupted； inasmuch as apart from the need
to drink； the throat is parched； yet in regard to the
posite whole； that is to say； to the mind or soul united to
this body； it is not a purely verbal predicate； but a real
error of nature； for it to have thirst when drinking would be
hurtful to it。 And thus it still remains to inquire how the
goodness of God does not prevent the nature of man so regarded
from being fallacious。
In order to begin this examination； then； I here say； in
the first place； that there is a great difference between mind
and body； inasmuch as body is by nature always divisible； and
the mind is entirely indivisible。 For； as a matter of fact；
when I consider the mind； that is to say； myself inasmuch as I
am only a thinking thing； I cannot distinguish in myself any
parts； but apprehend myself to be clearly one and entire； and
although the whole mind seems to be united to the whole body；
yet if a foot； or an arm； or some other part； is separated
from my body； I am aware that nothing has been taken away from
my mind。 And the faculties of willing； feeling； conceiving；
etc。 cannot be properly speaking said to be its parts； for it
is one and the same mind which employs itself in willing and
in feeling and understanding。 But it is quite otherwise with
corporeal or extended objects； for there is not one of these
imaginable by me which my mind cannot easily divide into
parts； and which consequently I do not recognise as being
divisible； this would be sufficient to teach me that the mind
or soul of man is entirely different from the body； if I had
not already learned it from other sources。
I further notice that the mind does not receive the
impressions from all parts of the body immediately； but only
from the brain； or perhaps even from one of its smallest
parts； to wit； from that in which the mon sense27 is said
to reside； which； whenever it is disposed in the same
particular way； conveys the same thing to the mind； although
meanwhile the other portions of the body may be differently
disposed； as is testified by innumerable experiments which it
is unnecessary here to recount。
I notice； also； that the nature of body is such that none
of its parts can be moved by another part a little way off
which cannot also be moved in the same way by each one of the
parts which are between the two； although this more remote
part does not act at all。 As； for example； in the cord ABCD
＇which is in tension＇ if we pull the last part D； the first
part A will not be moved in any way differently from what
would be the case if one of the intervening parts B or C were
pulled； and the last part D were to remain unmoved。 And in
the same way； when I feel pain in my foot； my knowledge of
physics teaches me that this sensation is municated by
means of nerves dispersed through the foot； which； being
extended like cords from there to the brain； when they are
contracted in the foot； at the same time contract the inmost
portions of the brain which is their extremity and place of
origin； and then excite a certain movement which nature has
established in order to cause the mind to be affected by a
sensation of pain represented as existing in the foot。 But
because these nerves must pass through the tibia； the thigh；
the loins； the back and the neck； in order to reach from the
leg to the brain； it may happen that although their
extremities which are in the foot are not affected； but only
certain ones of their intervening parts ＇which pass by the
loins or the neck＇； this action will excite the same movement
in the brain that might have been excited there by a hurt
received in the foot； in consequence of which the mind will
necessarily feel in the foot the same pain as if it had
received a hurt。 And the same holds good of all the other
perceptions of our senses。
I notice finally that since each of the movements which
are in the portion of the brain by which the mind is
immediately affected brings about one particular sensation
only； we cannot under the circumstances imagine anything more
likely than that this movement； amongst all the sensations
which it is capable of impressing on it； causes mind to be
affected by that one which is best fitted and most generally
useful for the conservation of the human body when it is in
health。 But experience makes us aware that all the feelings
with which nature inspires us are such as I have just spoken
of； and there is therefore nothing in them which does not give
testimony to the power and goodness of the God ＇who has
produced them28＇。 Thus； for example； when the nerves which
are in the feet are violently or more than usually moved；
their movement； passing through the medulla of the spine29 to
the inmost parts of the brain； gives a sign to the mind which
makes it feel somewhat； to wit； pain； as though in the foot；
by which the mind is excited to do its utmost to remove the
cause of the evil as dangerous and hurtful to the foot。 It is
true that God could have constituted the nature of man in such
a way that this same movement in the brain would have conveyed
something quite different to the mind； for example； it might
have produced consciousness of itself either in so far as it
is in the brain； or as it is in the foot； or as it is in some
other place between the foot and the brain； or it might
finally have produced consciousness of anything else
whatsoever； but none of all this would have contributed so
well to the conservation of the body。 Similarly； when we
desire to drink； a certain dryness of the throat is produced
which moves its nerves； and by their means the internal
portions of the brain； and this movement causes in the mind
the sensation of thirst； because in this case there is nothing
more useful to us than to bee aware that we have need to
drink for the conservation o our health； and the same holds
good in other instances。
From this it is quite clear that； notwithstanding the
supreme goodness of God； the nature of man； inasmuch as it is
posed of mind and body； cannot be otherwise than sometimes
a source of deception。 For if there is any cause which
excites； not in the foot but in some part of the nerves which
are extended between the foot and the brain； or even in the
brain itself； the same movement which usually is produced when
the foot is detrimentally affected； pain will be experienced
as though it were in the foot； and the sense will thus
naturally be deceived； for since the same movement in the
brain is capable of causing but one sensation in the mind； and
this sensation is much more frequently excited by a cause
which hurts the foot than by another existing in some other
quarter； it is reasonable that it should convey to the mind
pain in the foot rather than in any other part of the body。
And although the parchedness of the throat does not always
proceed； as it usually does； from the fact that drinking is
necessary for the health of the body； but sometimes es from
quite a different cause； as is the case with dropsical
patients； it is yet much better that it should mislead on this
occasion than if； on the other hand； it were always to deceive
us when the body is in good health； and so on in similar
cases。
And certainly this consideration is of great service to
me； not only in enabling me to recognise all the errors to
which my nature is subject； but also in enabling me to avoid
them or to correct them more easily。 for knowing that all my
senses more frequently indicate to me truth than falsehood
respecting the things which concern that which is beneficial
to the body； and being able almost always to avail myself of
many of them in order to examine one particular thing； and；
besides that； being able to make use of my memory in order to
connect the present with the past； and of my understanding
which already has discovered all the causes of my errors； I
ought no longer to fear that falsity may be found in matters
every day presented to me by my senses。 And I ought to set
aside all the