Res extensa como error categorial: meditaciones latourianas sobre el dualismo cartesiano

• Autores: David Antolínez
• Localización: Mutatis Mutandis: Revista Internacional de Filosofía, ISSN-e 0719-4773, Año 13, Nº. 1, 2026
• Idioma: español
• DOI: 10.69967/07194773.v13i.523
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Res extensa as category mistake: Latourian meditations on Cartesian dualism
• Enlaces
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• Resumen
  • español

    El presente ensayo tiene como objetivo principal abordar el problema del dualismo cartesiano desde la filosofía de Bruno Latour. Más allá de ofrecer una disolución de la dicotomía mente/cuerpo que tiende a pormenorizar el primero en favor del segundo, se plantea una complicación de ambos términos. Así, a las ya conocidas críticas a la res cogitans habría que añadirle una profunda deconstrucción de la res extensa. Si bien este argumento tiene un cariz metafísico, tiene distintas implicaciones prácticas para la psicología como disciplina científica. Tras exponer cómo el dualismo cartesiano ha reaparecido intermitentemente en la psicología del siglo XX, se sugiere que las propuestas no-mentalistas solo han tenido un éxito parcial por haber dejado intacta la contraparte material contenida en la dicotomía mente/cuerpo. Solo a partir de una revisión minuciosa de la obra de Latour se puede comprender cómo esta reformulación paralela de mente y materia conducen a un pluralismo ontológico que, a su vez, oscila entre destruir la psicología moderna y abrir nuevos caminos de investigación.

  • English

    The main goal of this essay is to approach Cartesian dualism from the philosophy of Bruno Latour. Beyond offering a dissolution of the Mind/Body dichotomy which undermines the former in benefit of the latter, a complication of both terms is proposed. Thus, the well-known critiques of the res cogitans will be complemented with a deep deconstruction of the res extensa. This argument, despite its metaphysical tone, entails some practical consequences for psychology as a scientific discipline. After exposing the intermittent interference of Cartesian dualism in psychology throughout the 20th century, it is argued that non-mentalistic projects have been only partially successful, precisely because they have left untouched the material counterpart of the Mind/Body dichotomy. Only from a detailed review of Latour’s work it could be understood how this parallel reformulation of mind and matter lead to an ontological pluralism, which, in turn, oscillates between destroying modern psychology and open new inquiry paths.

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