Descartes Argument for the Existence of Corporeal Things
Methods and Meditations on First Philosophy is a discourse by Rene Descartes, which largely focuses on the nature of humanity and divinity. This essay is a discussion of this discourse, and will summarize, explain and object to various parts of his work. The majority of this essay focuses on Descartes Sixth Meditation, which includes his argument that corporeal things do exist.
1. There clearly exists a passive faculty of sensing and I use it involuntarily.
2. If there exists a passive faculty of sensing within me and I use it, then there exists an active faculty of producing sense ideas, either in me, or in something else.
3. Therefore, there exists an active faculty of producing sense ideas, either in me, or in something else.
4. God has given me a great propensity to believe that the active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things.
5. If the active faculty of producing sense ideas is not in corporeal things then God is a deceiver.
6. God is not a deceiver
7. Therefore the active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things.
8. If the active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things then corporeal things exist.
9. The active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things.
10. Therefore corporeal things do exist.
Descartes' argument that corporeal things exist exemplifies his use of, and basis in epistemological foundationalism. To clearly understand how Descartes argument reflects this, we must first explain what epistemological foundationalism is. In his essay, Epistemology, Richard Feldman explains that foundationalism is when, "The argument is sound. There are basic justified beliefs, and they are the foundation upon which all our other justified beliefs rest" (Feldman 51). He continues this line of thought by saying further, "All justified nonbasic beliefs are justified in virtue of their relation to justified basic beliefs." (Feldman 52). In other words, basic justified beliefs allow
1. There clearly exists a passive faculty of sensing and I use it involuntarily.
2. If there exists a passive faculty of sensing within me and I use it, then there exists an active faculty of producing sense ideas, either in me, or in something else.
3. Therefore, there exists an active faculty of producing sense ideas, either in me, or in something else.
4. God has given me a great propensity to believe that the active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things.
5. If the active faculty of producing sense ideas is not in corporeal things then God is a deceiver.
6. God is not a deceiver
7. Therefore the active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things.
8. If the active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things then corporeal things exist.
9. The active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things.
10. Therefore corporeal things do exist.
Descartes' argument that corporeal things exist exemplifies his use of, and basis in epistemological foundationalism. To clearly understand how Descartes argument reflects this, we must first explain what epistemological foundationalism is. In his essay, Epistemology, Richard Feldman explains that foundationalism is when, "The argument is sound. There are basic justified beliefs, and they are the foundation upon which all our other justified beliefs rest" (Feldman 51). He continues this line of thought by saying further, "All justified nonbasic beliefs are justified in virtue of their relation to justified basic beliefs." (Feldman 52). In other words, basic justified beliefs allow