What is the primary idea underlying occasionalism as proposed by Nicolas de Malebranche?

The primary idea of occasionalism, as proposed by Nicolas de Malebranche, is that the interaction between the mind and body occurs solely through the direct intervention of God. Malebranche argued that while the mind and body are distinct substances, they cannot interact directly because they belong to different realms—mental and physical. Instead, for any action of the mind to influence the body or vice versa, God must intervene to ensure that these interactions take place. This means that when a mental event occurs, it does not cause a physical event directly; rather, God is the one who makes the corresponding physical event happen at that moment. As a result, occasionalism emphasizes that God's role is essential for the coordination between the mind and body, maintaining that any perceived cause-and-effect relationship is due to God's ongoing activity in the world.

In contrast, other ideas presented in the options suggest a more direct interaction model or a philosophical stance that does not recognize a divine role, which do not align with the foundational tenets of Malebranche's occasionalism.