Descartes Meditation 3: The Existence Of God

Questionable Authenticity

Marvin Feliciano
Philosophy 001
21 January 2018

I recall being in Sequoia National Park and sitting at the top of Moro Rock. One hour and three hundred steps later, I had finally made it to the top of one of the most visited places in the park. Before climbing, and being slightly afraid of heights, I could not understand what the benefit of making it to the top would be besides the personal fulfillment one could get from such physical accomplishment. However, as I took my last few steps, still a bit apprehensive, I began to look up and it became quite evident why hundreds of people make the grueling journey up the enormous stone year in and year out. There isn’t a place from the top of Moro Rock
with a bad view. It allows for a three hundred and sixty view of the Sierra Mountain Range and the Kings Canyon. As I stood there in awe, taking in every inch of beauty my eyes could capture, I began to question my fear of heights and what led to it. Amidst this debate, I looked at the beauty around me and began to question its reality. How did I know what I was looking at was really there? How did I know this wasn’t all a dream and I would just wake up ten minutes from now in my bed? Although I do believe I am fully aware of my senses, it made question not only the idea of time but also the idea of reality. We claim to know things with certainty or authenticity, but how can one be certain about anything in the world that we live in? Rene Descartes was a French mathematician, scientist and philosopher known for his development in a new science made up mainly of observation and experiment. Because of his groundbreaking theories during his lifetimes, Descartes was also known as the “father of modern philosophy” (Watson, 2017). One of Descartes’ most persuasive texts ever written was known as “Meditations on First Philosophy” where he introduces the metaphysical system which he uses to question things like existence and reality. Descartes divides “Meditations” into six parts which allow for different patterns of thought in regards to out metaphysical world. During the first part, also known as “Meditation 1”, Descartes begins to question what one can call into doubt. He begins to recall many falsehoods introduced into his life and wonders if perhaps everything he knows in this world has derived from these falsehoods. He sits by a fire and begins to form all of his opinions with care. He then begins to doubt his thoughts and opinions individually only to realize that maybe if he doubts everything as a whole he will reflect on a different level and question their foundations and principles. He realizes that most of what he has learned comes from our senses, but states that senses can also be deceiving with respect to objects found far from us. Although Descartes believes that we are more in tune with our senses than not, he begins to explain that when he is dreaming, he believes that what he senses is real. He begins to question reality and elaborates that reality could just be a dream we have been fully convinced by. In other words, a thought, driven by our trust of senses, we believed to be real. Descartes uses the example of the idea human beings have of an omnipotent God. An idea built from the senses. He states that if we supposed there were no God, then our idea of being deceived would be even greater because this would mean that our imperfect senses would have been created by a being who couldn’t be further away from perfect. He then uses a variance to this method using an evil demon in which he blames the evil demon for making him think everything he knows is false, but by doing so he knows he cannot be led into further falsehood. Lastly, he concludes the night by returning to his old beliefs for he is afraid to wake to a life of deception and confusion which allow for any falsehood to continue influencing his idea of reality. Descartes’ main purpose behind this piece of work is to start off by relating to Aristotelians who believe that much of our knowledge comes from the senses, but then slowly starts to lure them away from this thought process. Descartes uses the dream argument to create doubts about Aristotle’s epistemology and the evil demon argument to shut Aristotle’s system of reasoning entirely down. Descartes goes on to propose a piece of work known as the “Cogito Ergo Sum” ” which when translated into English means “I think, therefore I am”. Descartes goes on to explain, using this argument, that “we cannot doubt our existence while we doubt…” which only confirms that the very act of doubting one’s existence serves as proof of the reality of one’s own mind. In other words, we prove our reality by demonstrating signs of doubt. Descartes goes on to propose a new argument in his “Meditation 3” known as “the existence of God”.
He begins by stating that there are three type of ideas in this world: innate, fictitious and adventitious. According to Descartes, innate ideas have always been instilled in us while fictitious and adventitious ideas are just figments of our imaginations. He states the the innate idea of Gods existence is placed in us by God himself and denies the possibility of God being fictitious or adventitious. He does state however, that innate beliefs must be accompanied by experiences in order to acquire optimal knowledge. Descartes’ theories and applications offer much insight into reasoning about what is real in this world. Although somewhat controversial, his peculiar approach to questioning life’s basic principles offer much insight into the occurrences of our everyday lives. One can use these theories to question and reason about reality or what we believe reality is. However, on a deeper level, it introduces us into questioning a question. Which as Descartes explains is one way to provide foundation to an answer. Whether utilizing Descartes Meditation 1, Cogito Ergo Sum or his Mediation 3, we come to find a pattern in the purpose for this important piece of work. A pattern that involves thinking outside of the box. A box of uncertainties we may have always lived with which inhibits our abilities to expand our minds but when looked at differently, can help explain much of what we find uncertain or questionable.
Works
Cited
“The Philosophical Works of Descartes.” Translated by Elizabeth S Haldane,
Http://Selfpace.uconn.edu/Class/Percep/DescartesMeditations.pdf, Cambridge University Press, 1911.

Watson, Richard A. “René Descartes.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.,
27 Dec. 2017, www.britannica.com/biography/Rene-Descartes.

Martinich, A.P., and Avrum Stroll. “Epistemology.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 30 Nov. 2017, www.britannica.com/topic/epistemology/The-history-of-epistemology.