Final answer:
Descartes proposed dualism, suggesting that the thinking self exists independently from the body, exemplified by his statement "I think, therefore I am." Modern science, however, disputes thought without a brain, countering Descartes' claim. He also incorrectly believed the pineal gland connected the soul and body.
Step-by-step explanation:
René Descartes' philosophical view known as dualism posits that the soul and the body are two distinct substances. In terms of the connection between the two, Descartes hypothesized through his famous statement, "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am), that the very act of thinking confirms the existence of the self as a non-physical 'thinking thing': a mind or soul that exists apart from the physical body. He proposed that if one could think without proving the existence of a physical body, then the thinking self must not require a body to exist. However, Descartes' arguments have met with substantial criticism over time, with modern science challenging the possibility of thought without a brain, thus suggesting a close connection between mind and body. Additionally, Descartes notably speculated that the pineal gland served as the contact point between soul and body, a notion scientific investigation has since debunked.