Abstract

The different images of the human being that have occurred in the history of thought are based on the Cartesian dichotomy between res cogitans and res extensa. The philosophical anthropology of the twentieth century seeks to overcome the mind‐body dualism, building a unified image of the human being. However, the comparison between the main anthropological theories and analysis of the controversies that have animated the debate about the definition of human nature reveal that the overcoming of Cartesian dualism leads to the formation of a new conflict, the conflict of the human being with himself.