Exposition:
1) What is Descartes' argument for the existence of the thinking \"I\"?
Descartes begins in what seems a world of confusion. He constantly has the senses of touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing interferring with his logical, rational mind. Adding to these multitudinous stimulations emotion, desire, and dreams.
Dreams seem a way for Descartes to explain how to go from the \"imaginary\" to the real. He deciphers that 3+2 equals five in his dreams as well as when he thinks he is awake. These truths do not change amidst the confusion of any stimuli. The one problem might be that every time he thinks through the thought to come to a conclusion of truth, an evil genuis plants a false solution in his mind. Descartes answer to the evil genuis problem is that he has the ability to doubt his thoughts. Being able to doubt convinces Descartes that there is truth and that the truth can be known. He summarizes that he can be sure he exists because he has the ability to think or doubt.
2) What is Descartes' argument for the existence of God?
Descartes sees that there are imperfections in himself. He then wonders where he gets the ideas of perfection. If he has imperfections, there must be a being of which has no imperfections.The lacking of existence is an imperfection and could not be attributed to the idea/being of where perfection comes. He has a little knowledge that can grow, thus there must be a being who has all the knowledge that he can learn. He is able to conceive of eternal life, thus this being must be eternal in order to not lack this perfection. All other perfections are attributed to this being.
3) What is Descartes' argument for the existence of material bodies?
Since we have established that God is not an evil deceiver, that he has not given Descartes a faculty that will ever lead him into error if used aright, and that we can know to be true that which we can perceive must clearly and distinctly, the senses about the physical world can be believed. Descartes says that if he calls together his senses, memory, and understanding, and they do not lead him apart, that which is agreed upon is true.
Analysis: Choose one of the following to answer:
4) To what degree does Descartes' argument depend upon a coherentist epistemology? How might Descartes avoid a vicious circle?
OR
5) Define the terms \"clear\" and \"distinct\". How do Descartes' arguments rely upon the notions of clarity and distinction, and what difficulties does sucha reliance create? How might Descartes respond to such difficulties?
clear: that which is not tainted, uncloudy, understandable--within the mind
distinct: separate, different from another, incidents are categorized well
Descarte takes these two terms and says that if he has ideas that are both of these, that the ideas are true.The difficulty is defining these subjective, unmeasureable terms. What is clear and distinct for one person may be confused and lumpy for another. Descartes would say that each person follows a similar path in the thought processes when following this system.
Descartes could/would also say that clear and distinct thougts lead one to the Highest Being who will guide them into truth.
1) What is Descartes' argument for the existence of the thinking \"I\"?
Descartes begins in what seems a world of confusion. He constantly has the senses of touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing interferring with his logical, rational mind. Adding to these multitudinous stimulations emotion, desire, and dreams.
Dreams seem a way for Descartes to explain how to go from the \"imaginary\" to the real. He deciphers that 3+2 equals five in his dreams as well as when he thinks he is awake. These truths do not change amidst the confusion of any stimuli. The one problem might be that every time he thinks through the thought to come to a conclusion of truth, an evil genuis plants a false solution in his mind. Descartes answer to the evil genuis problem is that he has the ability to doubt his thoughts. Being able to doubt convinces Descartes that there is truth and that the truth can be known. He summarizes that he can be sure he exists because he has the ability to think or doubt.
2) What is Descartes' argument for the existence of God?
Descartes sees that there are imperfections in himself. He then wonders where he gets the ideas of perfection. If he has imperfections, there must be a being of which has no imperfections.The lacking of existence is an imperfection and could not be attributed to the idea/being of where perfection comes. He has a little knowledge that can grow, thus there must be a being who has all the knowledge that he can learn. He is able to conceive of eternal life, thus this being must be eternal in order to not lack this perfection. All other perfections are attributed to this being.
3) What is Descartes' argument for the existence of material bodies?
Since we have established that God is not an evil deceiver, that he has not given Descartes a faculty that will ever lead him into error if used aright, and that we can know to be true that which we can perceive must clearly and distinctly, the senses about the physical world can be believed. Descartes says that if he calls together his senses, memory, and understanding, and they do not lead him apart, that which is agreed upon is true.
Analysis: Choose one of the following to answer:
4) To what degree does Descartes' argument depend upon a coherentist epistemology? How might Descartes avoid a vicious circle?
OR
5) Define the terms \"clear\" and \"distinct\". How do Descartes' arguments rely upon the notions of clarity and distinction, and what difficulties does sucha reliance create? How might Descartes respond to such difficulties?
clear: that which is not tainted, uncloudy, understandable--within the mind
distinct: separate, different from another, incidents are categorized well
Descarte takes these two terms and says that if he has ideas that are both of these, that the ideas are true.The difficulty is defining these subjective, unmeasureable terms. What is clear and distinct for one person may be confused and lumpy for another. Descartes would say that each person follows a similar path in the thought processes when following this system.
Descartes could/would also say that clear and distinct thougts lead one to the Highest Being who will guide them into truth.
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