The Living Body: Why Mind Doesn’t Exist and Everything Is Simply Process

In the world of psychology, therapy, and neuroscience, the idea that mind exists as a separate, tangible entity has long been debated. René Descartes’ famous proposition of the mind-body split has shaped Western thinking for centuries, suggesting that the mind—our consciousness, thoughts, and mental states—exists separately from the physical body. But what if this understanding is fundamentally flawed? What if everything we experience, from thoughts to emotions, is nothing more than part of an ongoing biological process in a living system?

In this article, we’ll explore the radical idea that mind is an abstract noun—not a separate entity—and that everything, from mental states to physical sensations, is part of the body’s processing system. We’ll also discuss how Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is one step closer to understanding this processing system and how malfunctions in the brain can be reduced to two core causes. Plus, we’ll explain why Descartes’ dualism is wrong and why the living body is the true agent of human experience.

The Fallacy of Mind: Abstract, Not Real

First, let’s tackle the big question: Does the mind actually exist? In most modern psychological and neurological paradigms, the answer is no. What we call the mind is a metaphor—a convenient way to describe the complex processes occurring within the living body. The mind is often used as shorthand for our thoughts, emotions, and conscious awareness, but it has no distinct, tangible existence outside the biological processes happening in the brain and body. Mind is simply an abstract concept to describe the experience of processing.

This perspective directly challenges the Cartesian dualism proposed by René Descartes in the 17th century. Descartes divided human existence into two separate realms: the res cogitans (thinking substance, or mind) and the res extensa (extended substance, or body). Descartes argued that the mind was a non-material entity that could exist independently of the body.

But modern science—especially in fields like neuroscience, embodied cognition, and neurobiology—shows that mind and body cannot be separated. They are an integrated system. Consciousness and mental states are not abstract, separate things that reside in the mind. Instead, they emerge from the brain's complex processing of sensory information, memories, emotions, and experiences. The idea that mind and body are distinct is not just outdated—it’s scientifically unsupported.

The Two Main Causes of Brain Malfunction: Damage and Dysfunction

If the mind doesn’t exist as a separate entity, then what causes malfunctions in mental states, such as depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia? Modern neuroscience suggests that the two main causes of brain dysfunction are:

1. Brain Damage: This includes physical injury to the brain (such as from trauma, stroke, or illness) that disrupts the brain's ability to process sensory input and produce coherent mental states. This damage can cause a wide range of cognitive and emotional issues, from memory loss to altered perceptions and moods.
2. Dysfunctional Processing: This refers to instances where the brain's processing system is not working optimally. This could be due to underdevelopment, overdevelopment, or the brain processing information in ways that lead to maladaptive patterns of thinking, emotion, or behavior. These dysfunctions are often seen in mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and personality disorders. Importantly, neuroplasticity suggests that the brain’s processing systems can be reshaped through intervention and experience.

These causes point directly to the fact that everything related to mental health—whether cognitive, emotional, or psychological—is a result of processing that takes place in the brain and body. There is no separate “mind” that exists outside this system.

NLP: One Step Closer to the Brain’s Processing

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) has long been a method used for facilitating change in individuals by helping them recognize and shift the internal representations of experiences. But what makes NLP unique is that it doesn’t just deal with thoughts and language—it focuses on how the brain processes sensory data and how those representations (images, sounds, feelings) influence emotions and behavior. In this way, NLP operates closer to the brain’s actual processing than traditional therapies, which tend to focus more on language alone.

In NLP, the focus is on how sensory data is processed and encoded in the brain. When we talk about someone’s internal experience, we’re talking about the way the brain interprets the world through its five senses and how it represents those sensory inputs. NLP looks at how these representations influence emotions and behaviors and works with the individual to shift those representations. This makes it closer to the biological processing system than approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which primarily focuses on changing language or thoughts.

NLP techniques often tap into how the body’s gestures and physical states are part of the overall processing system, recognizing that our mental states and physical actions are deeply interconnected. By directly addressing the processing of sensory data—through both mental imagery and physical cues—NLP enables individuals to reshape their experiences more directly.

Why Descartes Was Wrong: The Mind-Body Split

Descartes' separation of mind and body is an outdated and scientifically unsupported model. The idea that mental processes are somehow separate from the body has been debunked by modern neuroscience and psychology. In fact, everything about what we think and how we feel is deeply intertwined with the biological processing of the living body.

The mind isn’t a separate “thing” inside the head; it’s simply a way to describe the ongoing processing in the living body. The brain is not some ghostly “mind” floating within the skull—it’s a complex network of neurons and chemical processes that create and regulate everything we experience, from thought to emotion to bodily sensation.

When we acknowledge that there is no separate mind, and that everything is processing, we gain a clearer understanding of human experience. Mental health challenges, emotions, and cognitive patterns are all simply manifestations of a living body processing information—whether that processing is disrupted by damage, dysfunction, or unhealthy patterns.

Conclusion: The Living Body Is the System in Action

Ultimately, the idea that mind exists separately from the body is a relic of outdated thinking. Descartes’ mind-body dualism is no longer supported by modern science. Instead, we must understand human experience as the ongoing processing of the living body. Whether it’s cognitive processing, emotional regulation, or physical health, everything is part of an integrated system.

NLP, by focusing on how the brain processes sensory information and creates representations, works closer to the heart of this biological system than many other therapies. By recognizing that mind is just a metaphor for the brain's processing, we can move toward a more integrated, holistic understanding of human experience. The true self is not separate from the body but is the living body processing and interpreting the world in real-time.

So, the next time you think about the mind, remember—it’s not some elusive, separate entity. It’s the living body in action.