The Passions of the Soul

‘The Signature of Architecture’: Compositional Ideas in the Theory of Profiles

“…For example, Raphael's tight-lipped Portrait of Pope Julius II (1509, National Gallery, London) conveys the leonine and martial qualities of the Pope's choleric humour (Partridge and Starn 1980: 26-27;Summers 1987: 110-112). Another branch of physiognomy revealed emotions: this was the theory of the passions, which held that the movements of the soul were transmitted via the pineal gland to the body's surface, where they appeared as physical gestures (Descartes 1985). In addition, physiognomy went beyond nature to include social types, so that facial features were evidence of rank; hence Blondel's reference to the large chins of men who worked the land.…”

Considering the Human Implications of New and Emerging Technologies in the Area of Human Security

“…Reformation's central concern was the will to salvation, say, how a person can be certain of his own eternal salvation, and Heidegger argues that ''the will to salvation reduced religion to a matter of the subject's concern with his own security'' (Davis 2007, p. 167). By ensuring a sound, mathematical, 11 foundation to the notion of certainty, 12 Descartes also prepares the shift from the notion of hazard to the notions of risk and security (Descartes 1989).…”

Consciousness, brain, neuroplasticity

“…… And the activity of the soul consists entirely in the fact that simply by willing something it brings it about that the little gland to which it is closely joined moves in the manner required to produce the effect corresponding to this volition (Descartes, 1649/1985, Vol. I: 343).…”

“…So is it really surprising if the brain of […] a man in a deep sleep, is unsuited to receive these traces? (Descartes, 1649/1985, Vol. II: 247).…”