Descartes Cogito Argument Essay

Descartes, sometimes called the founder of modern philosophy, attempts to use the method, set forth by Galileo, to lay the foundation for Philosophy. “He also looked to defeat skepticism on its own ground” (Kemerling). His cogito argument is significant because it is the foundation for his philosophical thinking and the first solid truth after emptying the basket of apples. His evil demon and dreaming doubt arguments are part of his method of doubt and his reasoning for starting philosophical reasoning from scratch.
In order to use the scientific methods Descartes must first ensure there is an absolute certainty for a starting point of Philosophy. “If any particular truth about the world can survive this extreme skeptical challenge, then it must be truly indubitable and therefore a perfectly certain foundation for knowledge” (Kemerling). He sets up two arguments to show that one must doubt their senses. The first argument to doubt ones senses is laid out with regards to dreaming. Dreaming is so similar to being awake that are experiences may be false.
“Since my most vivid dreams are internally indistinguishable from waking experience” (Kemerling). There are no certain signs to recognize the dream experience from the waking experience. If this is so, it is possible that at any moment one is dreaming and all of their realities are false. In a subsequent proof Descartes argues that an all-powerful God could deceive us. The evil demon portion of Meditations stems from this argument. For those who assume that God would not deceive us, for arguments sake let’s assume that there exists an evil demon. This evil demon is as “clever and deceitful as he is powerful” (Descartes). He replaces the deceiving God and is capable of deceiving in the same way God to be able to. “The doubt is about my cognitive nature — about the possibility that my mind is flawed” (Newman). This gives the basis to distrust all senses and knowledge like mathematical reasoning. With proof of knowledge unable to be bound to the senses, Descartes must erect new framework for Philosophy.
Descartes Cogito argument is the foundation for and first certainty in Descartes version of Philosophy. "Cogito, ergo sum" or "I think, therefore I am". This is eloquently presented as:
But I have already denied that I have any sense and anybody.
Still I hesitate; for what follows from this? Am I so tied to a body and to the senses that I cannot exist without them? But I have persuaded myself that there is absolutely nothing in the world: no sky, no earth, no minds, no bodies. Is it then the case that I too do not exist? But doubtless I did exist, if I persuaded myself of something. But there is some deceiver or other who is supremely powerful and supremely sly and who is always deliberately deceiving me. Then too there is no doubt that I exist, if he is deceiving me. And let him do his best at deception, he will never bring it about that I am nothing so long as I shall think that I am something. Thus, after everything has been most carefully weighed, it must finally be established that this pronouncement “I am, I exist” is necessarily true every time I utter it or conceive it in my mind.”
(Descartes)
Even given the possibility that a God or evil demon is deceiving all ones sense, the fact that one is deceived is proof of existence. “For even an omnipotent god could not cause it to be true, at one and the same time, both that I am deceived and that I do not exist. If I am deceived, then at least I am” (Kemerling). This is basic yet beautiful. Descartes believes skepticism is defeated for there is no matter what at least one perfect certainty. This is the basis for all other knowledge to be formed on. This also show the knowledge starts in the mind and its contents are more easily know than the body.