Rene Descartes Global Skepticism

Global Skepticism According to Renee Descartes
“I think; therefore, I am”- Renee Descartes In modern society, skepticism is a dirty little word with negative judgements placed on the skeptic. Another word for skepticism used in the field of philosophy is doubt. During the enlightenment era, scholars and thinkers began to doubt the world as they knew it. They doubted their society, religion, and even their own existence. Renee Descartes (1596-1650) contributed significant insight to skepticism and the idea of doubt. In his famous work Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes addressed global skepticism. The idea of global skepticism is that one should questions all understanding. The most important aspect of Descartes’ explanation of global skepticism is that it stresses that all of our understandings and beliefs are not knowledge or concrete. Global skepticism doubts everything people have been told to believe. However, Descartes explicitly described steps on how an
In his book on Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes uses an allegory to explain global doubt and how individuals live by false beliefs (Araujo 8). In his allegory, he explains that humans have been brainwashed to belief certain false beliefs by an evil influencer. Individuals are bombarded by misleading information that causes doubt. However, Descartes explains that no matter how much doubt or skepticism one feels, one can have certainty in their existence. According to Descartes’ approach to skepticism, doubt must and should exist in thinking beings (Araujo 8-34). Humans are living and thinking beings. When one can no longer think, one is dead. Hence, Descartes famous quote, “I think, therefore, I am”. I am means the person exists and is alive. In other words, I think so therefore I am alive, I exist. One should only be certain in their existence and in the existence of a Perfect