1. In Linda Zagzebski’s book on epistemology‚ she argues that one must care about having true beliefs‚ especially in topics that we care about. It is important to think critically when acquiring knowledge and one must be able to tell a true belief from a false belief. When addressing true belief‚ it is imperative to acknowledge skepticism. “Skepticism is often interpreted as a threat to knowledge” insofar as that most of the time‚ it is almost impossible to fully guarantee whether or not we are
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Gonzalez‚ Sophie Period 6 December 3‚ 2012 Dorothy and the Tree: A Lesson in Epistemology Stanley Fish discusses how we in society base our lives off of assumptions. Using the example of Dorothy and the tree‚ Fish is able to show how with our assumptions‚ we as people categorize others and things into what we believe to be correct. Whether or not we have actually taken the time to figure out if we are right is irrelevant. He notes that we should just “keep trying to expand our sense of ‘us’
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Descartes VS Hume René Descartes and David Hume touched upon epistemology on the same question‚ “where does human knowledge come from?” They both came to very different conclusions. Descartes claimed that our knowledge came from human reasoning alone and this is an absolute certainty principle. This faculty of reasoning is innate tool that came with human species. He called this tool‚ “mind‚” which is separated from our body. Hume on the other hand‚ claimed that human learned from observing the
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Descartes’ Cogito argument and defective nature doubt are mutually damaging to each other’s respective claims. Defective nature dismisses logic yet Cogito uses it‚ by doing so Descartes contradicts himself‚ falling trap to his own scrutiny. Ruling out his own perception‚ how can Descartes make plausible claims when he doubts his very ability to do so? The reasoning behind Descartes’ doubtfulness is that‚ in essence‚ he wants to know what he can and cannot doubt. If Descartes knows what is doubtable
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Descartes and God In his groundbreaking work‚ Meditations on First Philosophy‚ the French philosopher Rene Descartes lays the groundwork for many philosophical principles by attempting to “establish a bold and lasting knowledge” (171)1. The foundations for knowledge Descartes established would go on to influence a plethora of other philosophers and philosophical works. Descartes argues in his meditations first from the point of view of complete skepticism‚ using skepticism as a tool in order to
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Montaigne and Descartes Montaigne and Descartes both made use of a philosophical method that focused on the use of doubt to make discoveries about themselves and the world around them. However‚ they doubted different things. Descartes doubted all his previous knowledge from his senses‚ while Montaigne doubted that there were any absolute certainties in knowledge. Although they both began their philosophical processes by doubting‚ Montaigne doubting a constant static self‚ and Descartes doubted that
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Descartes main and objective purpose in life is to find absolute truth or to know for certain that nothing is true. Descartes two-sided paradox leads him to question and doubt almost everything in order to find the ultimate end of happiness and pleasure. Among many doubts‚ Descartes looks to understand the senses of the body in the extension to the physical world. Through examining the five senses of sight‚ taste‚ scent‚ touch‚ and sound‚ and the imagination Descartes tries to find absolute truth
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famous phrase by René Descartes. In his first two meditations‚ Descartes encounters several information that he is skeptical about. He is uncertain about his knowledge‚ his senses‚ his body‚ and his existence‚ but he is able to provide explanations to gain deeper understanding of each. He provides various arguments in the things that he is able to trust‚ and things that he requires further knowledge on‚ which can possibly be solved when he has acquired the truth about them. Descartes poses numerous questions
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The quality of the wax can be noticed through Descartes mention of “flexibility” and “changeability”. This is caused through the change of its shape from round to square‚ square to triangular‚ and so on‚ As Descartes mentions. But the imagination does not give wax it’s flexibility to change qualities‚ but rather a physical effect that modifies the wax’s quality such as melting or freezing. Because of these modifications‚ our minds are now able to perceive the quality of the wax differently than its
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After Descartes goes over what he has previously covered‚ including his proving that God exists and that God is perfect‚ he begins his fourth meditation. In this meditation‚ titled Truth and falsity‚ Descartes contemplates how he‚ Descartes makes mistakes if he is a product of this perfect being. First‚ he knows that God would not deceive him‚ since the will to deceive is a sign of weakness or hatred‚ and God’s perfection would not allow it. Second‚ if God created him‚ God is responsible for his
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