The Description of the Human Body The Description of the Human Body The Description of the Human Body () is an unfinished treatise written in 1647 by René Descartes (1596-1650). Descartes felt knowing oneself was particularly useful. This for him included medical knowledge. He hoped to cure and prevent disease, even to slow down aging. René Descartes believed the soul caused conscious thought. The body caused automatic functions like the beating of the heart and digestion he felt. The body was necessary for voluntary movement as well as the will. However, he believed the power to move the body was wrongly imagined to come from the
The Human Body (TV series) July 2001 and includes a 50-minute feature on "The Making of the Human Body" - A final overview that reveals the techniques and developments that made the series possible. The series was adapted into a film released for IMAX cinemas. The film won the Giant Screen Theatre Association's Best Film For Lifelong Learning award. The book accompanying the series was written by Anthony Smith. According to one review, "Smith transcends anatomical trivia to record our bodies' powerful tale with empathy and clarity." The Human Body (TV series) The Human Body is a seven-part documentary series, first shown on 20 May