Rene Descartes Meditations: Modern Western Philosophy
“I think, I am.” This is the premise that all of Rene Descartes’ beliefs and ideas are based off of. He believes these four words are the foundation for his existence and what he suggest all truth stems from. Descartes believes that the only thing he knows for certain is that he is a thing and that he thinks. He does not even accept his own body or the tangible world as he feels that these may very well be illusions. Descartes would attempt to better understand this theory by spending long hours in solitude. I will argue Rene Descartes’ attempts to isolate himself at times in order to think freely and examine his individual being proves that his beliefs directly correspond to the modern Western philosophy of this time period. The modern western
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world can trace its roots back to the rise of liberalism. Liberalism is the doctrine that takes the individual to be primary as opposes to collective entities. Its primary moral value is the freedom of the individual. Descartes would certainly agree with this doctrine as it places the individual at the center of the world and all other material things become secondary objects. Liberalism transformed how many looked at the world and gave birth to new forms of art. Gone were the days where a sculpture had one concrete meaning because with impressionism, it could mean whatever you thought it should mean. Religion was changing rapidly as well and new groups began to openly express their beliefs, something they would have never dared to do just a few years earlier. The beliefs of Descartes have their roots in the importance of the individual and the mind of the individual, much like the ideas western philosophy was based on.
In his first and second Meditations Descartes used methodological skepticism (supposing temporarily that everything is false) to conclude that only two things were definitive: he thinks and because he thinks, he exist. Descartes did in fact try to use methodological skepticism to deny these two definitive truths, however, every time he attempts to do so he always comes back to the fact that in order to call into question his own existence, he must be a doubting, thinking being. Descartes uses this to argue that since we cannot be certain that the world around us isn’t just some great illusion, we should place a high value on ourselves. This idea that the highest value should be placed on the individual is one of backbones of the modern western philosophy.
In his Meditations, Descartes also uses foundationalism (saying a belief is only true if you are 100 percent certain it is true) to make sure his belief stands pat.
He believes that the mind is the essence of who we and cannot exist without it. In an excerpt from his meditations he says: “I find here that thought is an attribute that belongs to me; it alone cannot be separated from me. I am, I exist--that is certain; but for how long? As long as I think. …if I stopped thinking altogether, I would at the same time altogether cease being…” (Descartes). Descartes uses this as the proof that he is a thinking thing. Descartes also concludes that the mind can exist outside of the body and that a body is not a necessity to our essence, something that never had been stated by any other philosophers. Descartes’ principle that our mind is esence our existence can be seen throughout western philosophy as well. For example, western philosophy led to the growth of sciences and religions, both of which require a great deal of reason and intellect. Western philosophy requires the thinking individual to come up with their own interpretations of previously held beliefs if they disagreed with them. Unlike Descartes, however, many of these western philosophy thinkers held most of their beliefs the same and would not go as far as Descartes had in denying all but two
things. In time where traditional beliefs and customs were commonly accepted by all as truth, Rene Descartes and western ideology both took steps to show the world a new, innovative way to think. This new individualistic way of thinking was a necessary step that needed to be taken for society to advance. Along with all the debate that arose from these new philosophies, many revolutionary concepts and ideas arose. As discussed earlier, liberalism, which arose from the principles of Descartes and western philosophy, allowed for advancements in art, sciences, mathematics, industry, and religion. Without these advancements, our society would likely resemble what it was in the 1600s. The similar beliefs of Rene Descartes and western philosophy helped transform our culture from dull and lacking to free thinking and vibrant.
world can trace its roots back to the rise of liberalism. Liberalism is the doctrine that takes the individual to be primary as opposes to collective entities. Its primary moral value is the freedom of the individual. Descartes would certainly agree with this doctrine as it places the individual at the center of the world and all other material things become secondary objects. Liberalism transformed how many looked at the world and gave birth to new forms of art. Gone were the days where a sculpture had one concrete meaning because with impressionism, it could mean whatever you thought it should mean. Religion was changing rapidly as well and new groups began to openly express their beliefs, something they would have never dared to do just a few years earlier. The beliefs of Descartes have their roots in the importance of the individual and the mind of the individual, much like the ideas western philosophy was based on.
In his first and second Meditations Descartes used methodological skepticism (supposing temporarily that everything is false) to conclude that only two things were definitive: he thinks and because he thinks, he exist. Descartes did in fact try to use methodological skepticism to deny these two definitive truths, however, every time he attempts to do so he always comes back to the fact that in order to call into question his own existence, he must be a doubting, thinking being. Descartes uses this to argue that since we cannot be certain that the world around us isn’t just some great illusion, we should place a high value on ourselves. This idea that the highest value should be placed on the individual is one of backbones of the modern western philosophy.
In his Meditations, Descartes also uses foundationalism (saying a belief is only true if you are 100 percent certain it is true) to make sure his belief stands pat.
He believes that the mind is the essence of who we and cannot exist without it. In an excerpt from his meditations he says: “I find here that thought is an attribute that belongs to me; it alone cannot be separated from me. I am, I exist--that is certain; but for how long? As long as I think. …if I stopped thinking altogether, I would at the same time altogether cease being…” (Descartes). Descartes uses this as the proof that he is a thinking thing. Descartes also concludes that the mind can exist outside of the body and that a body is not a necessity to our essence, something that never had been stated by any other philosophers. Descartes’ principle that our mind is esence our existence can be seen throughout western philosophy as well. For example, western philosophy led to the growth of sciences and religions, both of which require a great deal of reason and intellect. Western philosophy requires the thinking individual to come up with their own interpretations of previously held beliefs if they disagreed with them. Unlike Descartes, however, many of these western philosophy thinkers held most of their beliefs the same and would not go as far as Descartes had in denying all but two
things. In time where traditional beliefs and customs were commonly accepted by all as truth, Rene Descartes and western ideology both took steps to show the world a new, innovative way to think. This new individualistic way of thinking was a necessary step that needed to be taken for society to advance. Along with all the debate that arose from these new philosophies, many revolutionary concepts and ideas arose. As discussed earlier, liberalism, which arose from the principles of Descartes and western philosophy, allowed for advancements in art, sciences, mathematics, industry, and religion. Without these advancements, our society would likely resemble what it was in the 1600s. The similar beliefs of Rene Descartes and western philosophy helped transform our culture from dull and lacking to free thinking and vibrant.