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DESCARTES
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- 1Three main arguments in the First Meditation (each argument stronger than the last, calls into question most of Descartes' beliefs by the end)...1. Argument from illusion.
2. Argument from dreaming.
3. Evil demon argument. - 2Argument from illusionSenses can mislead us, sometimes things are not as they seem eg Descartes' example- towers appear round from a distance but square up close. So since false beliefs can result from sense perception, it calls into question all beliefs grounded in sensual experience. Illusion in some cases, so illusions in other cases too? Descartes responds to his own argument by stating that senses only mislead us when conditions for reliable observation are not ideal eg too far away, poorly lit. When conditions are ideal eg perfect distance, perfect lighting, then we have no serious reason to doubt what our senses are telling us.
- 3Argument from dreamingDreams feel like waking experiences, so no way of telling whether dreaming or awake ever. Impossible to be certain as even things which we seem to be sensing under 'ideal' conditions might be elements within a dream or the waking delusions of made people. This argument casts doubt on knowledge of composite things, but can still remain certain about basic, abstract, mathematical components. Descartes is suggesting that not even in a dream can you dream that 2 + 3 = anything other than 5. He is distinguishing between sensual beliefs and more abstract, universal beliefs of purely intellectual sciences eg mathematics.
- 4Evil demon argumentWicked and powerful demon is feeding all our experiences (eg 2 + 3 = 5) directly into our minds without their corresponding to anything real at all. Descartes does not believe there is such a demon, but for all he knows there could be one, it is a possibility. Known as Descartes' most hyperbolic doubt since however confident we feel about the simplest matter, there is always a possibility that we are being led astray by a demon. No knowledge to depend on by end of First Meditation.
- 5The CogitoI think, therefore I am. 'I' is a thing that thinks.
- 6GassendiWhat about 'I walk, therefore I am'?
- 7Descartes' response to GassendiThe inference (Cogito) can only be based on thought, because he cannot doubt that he is a thinking thing, but can doubt that he has a body (doubts whether any object revealed through sense perception is real).
- 8Criticisms of DescartesWhy would an evil demon let Descartes get to the place he did?
Descartes didn't call into doubt language, upon which his entire argument is grounded? - 9Trademark argumentIdea of God in his mind, placed there by God himself, so God must exist to have done so.
- 10RealityDescartes says need a being with infinite formal reality ie God, to have caused an idea with infinite reality.
- 11Problems with Descartes' reality conceptWhy can't a representation pop randomly into being?
Gassendi- human intellect not capable of conceiving of infinity, since we are finite. Descartes responds by saying that even though we can't comprehend infinity, we can know it.
Can have an idea of unicorn, but it doesn't mean they exist. - 12ArnauldProblem of the Cartesian Circle. Descartes needs a non-deceiving God to validate his reasonings, but it is only by reasoning that he can demonstrate such a God exists.
- 13Response from Descartes to ArnauldOnly need God to legitimise things we had clearly and distinctly perceived in the past, not anything right now.
- 14Way out of CircleSince our minds cannot continually focus on the same thing, we must rely on our memories, so need a non-deceiving God to validate our memories of clear and distinct perceptions. Yet this requires us to be continually clearly and distinctly perceiving God's existence and essence as a non-deceiver. But if God's existence is self-affirming, then we are not required to continually perceive his existence/essence.
- 15MalebrancheSince God is no deceiver, Descartes cannot have false beliefs about the existence of bodies, so bodies must exist. Malebranche agreed with Descartes that we have a God-given ability to believe in the existence of corporeal things due to seeing images of them, so we have perceptions. Yet we are not compelled to follow our perceptions, so we are able to suspend judgement on such matters.
- 16Mind-body problemDescartes believed that although minds and bodies are distinct, they unite during a person's life. But this raises the issue of how they interact. Though Descartes said this was not a problem; God must have done whatever needed to be done to enable their interaction.
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- MODERN PHILOSOPHY Karteikarten am DESCARTES, erstellt von Lizzie Sykes am 19/05/2017.
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