# Of the external senses; and first of touch explained — Philosophical Works

> Chapter companion for Philosophical Works by René Descartes.

## What happens

Descartes discusses the five external senses, focusing on touch. He explains how nerves in the skin are moved by various qualities of objects (hardness, gravity, heat, humidity) and how these motions produce diverse sensations in the mind. He also describes how moderate nerve motion yields titillation (pleasure), while stronger motion causing harm produces pain.

## Themes in this chapter

### Mind-Body Dualism

The chapter distinguishes between the body's nerve motions and the mind's sensations, illustrating the interaction between the two substances.

## Character check-ins

### Narrator

The narrator explains the mechanism of touch and the origin of tactile sensations, pleasure, and pain.

## Key lines

> We commonly reckon the external senses five in number, because there are as many different kinds of objects which move the nerves and their organs, and an equal number of kinds of confused thoughts excited in the soul by these emotions.

We count five external senses because there are five types of objects that stimulate the nerves, each producing a distinct kind of confused thought in the soul.

_Descartes links the number of senses to the variety of nerve stimuli and resulting mental impressions._

> Besides this, when these nerves are moved a little more powerfully than usual, but not nevertheless to the degree by which our body is in any way hurt, there thus arises a sensation of titillation, which is naturally agreeable to the mind, because it testifies to it of the powers of the body with which it is joined, [in that the latter can suffer the action causing this titillation, without being hurt].

When nerves are stimulated moderately, without causing harm, a pleasant tickling sensation arises, indicating the body's resilience.

_Pleasure is explained as a sign of the body's ability to withstand mild stimulation._

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