Final answer:
Rene Descartes believed that the human body was a physical machine but the mind was made of an immaterial "thinking substance." He argued for substance dualism, which posits that the mind and body are two distinct entities. This view has been criticized by modern science.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rene Descartes, a French philosopher, believed that the human body was a physical machine but that the human mind was made of an immaterial "thinking substance." He argued for a philosophy known as substance dualism, which posits that the mind and body are two distinct entities. Descartes believed that the mind, or the soul, existed separate from the physical body and was immortal. This view has been criticized and rejected by modern science, which has shown that the brain is responsible for thoughts and consciousness.