True or False: Descartes believed the pineal gland was the seat of the soul.

René Descartes indeed proposed that the pineal gland was the seat of the soul, considering it a critical interface between the mind and body. This idea emerged from his dualistic view of human nature, where he distinguished between the immaterial mind (soul) and the material body. Descartes located the pineal gland in the center of the brain and believed it was the point where the two interacted, making it a pivotal structure in his philosophical framework. His discussions positioned the pineal gland as a unique anatomical feature that could mediate the non-material essence of human consciousness and identity, thus supporting the idea that he regarded it as the ‘seat’ of the soul.