ABSTRACT
Metaphysical debate between philosophers over the centuries has thrown into relief the two sides of the argument. The general concept behind the dualistic view of human nature is that man or woman is a combination of two elements: the body and the soul. The soul is normally held by dualists to be indestructible by nature and endless in its destiny. It would be impossible to state with confidence when the idea of dualism as an interpretation of human nature was first expressed. Plato’s dualistic philosophy, with its emphasis on reason as the gateway to immortality, was given a vivid re-expression two millenniums later by the French philosopher Rene Descartes. Descartes belonged to the Age of Enlightenment. However, the charge of laziness made by Watson seems unfair, if only because the implication behind that charge is that those who hold the alternative, monistic or single-substance view are more likely than the dualists to have thought the matter through.
