The relationship between the mind and the physical body—often referred to as the mind-body problem—is a foundational question across global civilizations. Various philosophical and medical models have emerged to explain human consciousness, health, and existence:

Western Philosophy: Ancient Greek thinkers laid the groundwork for Western perspectives. Plato argued for a strict separation between the eternal soul and the physical body, whereas Aristotle proposed "hylomorphism," viewing the soul as the inseparable, organizing form of the physical body. In the 17th century, René Descartes formalized Substance Dualism, asserting that the mind (an immaterial, thinking substance) and the body (a material substance) are fundamentally distinct but interact. This Cartesian divide heavily influenced modern Western medicine's biomedical model, which hi ...