Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[shvetsov2005]

I have read:

The French mathematician Descartes once said:� Music is an unconscious exercise of the human mind in algebra�.

Why the definite article is used here before 'human mind'? I thought any human mind is applicable in this case, that is 'a human mind' should be used.

Alex.

[redset]

We sometimes use the definite article to generalise about an entire group, as in 'the elephant is the largest land animal in the world'. We're not talking about one elephant in particular, we're talking about that species of animal.

So in your quote, Descartes is talking about human minds in general, as a group - the human mind is an amazing thing! You could also say 'music is an unconscious exercise of human minds in algebra', but it has a slightly different feel, as though the emphasis on the entire group isn't quite as strong. Using the definite article this way has a slightly more formal feel too.

'A human mind' can also work, but it doesn't necessarily imply all human minds in general.