Description

Published in 1747, Man a Machine is a seminal work by French physician and philosopher Julien Offray de La Mettrie. In this treatise, La Mettrie extends Ren? Descartes’ concept of animals as automatons to human beings, arguing that humans are complex machines devoid of an immortal soul. He posits that all human thoughts and feelings arise from physical processes, laying the groundwork for materialistic views of consciousness. This controversial perspective challenged prevailing dualistic notions of mind and body in the 18th century. ?