Controls vital functions like blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, digestion. First part of brain to evolve. Part of brainstem - helps with body's autonomic functions and reflexes. Respiration, heart rate, swallowing, digestion. Relay station for nerve signals to and from the brain. Part of brainstem - Relays sensory information, helps control autonomic functions and has a role in levels of arousal or consciousness and sleep.
n. 1. (Philosophy) the traditional philosophical problem concerning the nature of mind, body, and the relationship between them. See dualism 2, interactionism, parallelism 3, monism 1, idealism 3, materialism 2, identity theory, behaviourism 2.
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. RenÃ© Descartes: The Mind-Body Distinction. He reaches this conclusion by arguing that the nature of the mind (that is, a thinking, non-extended thing) is completely different from that of the body (that is, an extended, non-thinking thing), and therefore it is possible for one to exist without the other.