 An alternative interpretation of Descartes on the real distinction between mind and body reads the distinction as consisting in the ontological independence of mind and body, but not in their  separability.[37]  Descartes holds that a sufficient condition for establishing a real distinction between two things is clearly and distinctly perceiving them to be non-identical substances (“Synopsis of these following six Meditations,” AT 7:13, CSM 2:9; Fourth Replies, AT 7:221–223, CSM 2:156–58). If so, he holds that the substantiality of two non-identical substances does not consist in their being separable, even though in fact they are  separable.[38]  On this view, mind and body are separable for Descartes; it’s just that their separability is a consequence of the (different) fact that they are really  distinct.[39]