I. Meditation II 1. Beyond Doubt: The Cogito i. Cogito‚ ergo sum: "I think‚ therefore I am" ii. Can’t reasonably doubt whether I am thinking; when I doubt‚ I am thinking iii. "I exist" 1) I wonder whether I exist iv. What am I? 1) "Sum res cogitans"; I am thinking substance (stuff/thing) v. I can’t be wrong about what I am thinking 1) Thinking: perceiving‚ imagining‚ willing‚ abstract intellect (math) vi. "I see a table" 1) Sense perception (image in
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according to Descartes and the so called antitheist position of Descartes Philomon Kani René Descartes is often credited with being the “Father of Modern Philosophy.” This title is justified due both to his break with the traditional Scholastic-Aristotelian philosophy prevalent at his time and to his development and promotion of the new‚ mechanistic sciences. His fundamental break with Scholastic philosophy was twofold. First‚ Descartes thought
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Outline Descartes’ Ontological Argument and explain the key objections that may be used against it. Descartes took the Ontological Argument as presented by Anselm and developed it in a different form. Descartes saw the argument in terms of necessary existence. For Descartes‚ the idea of God necessarily entails his existence. He established that our thoughts are evidence of our own existence (‘I think therefore I am’)‚ and so wanted to see what else he could prove exists. He used the example of a
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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
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David Hume discusses the validation of human testimony as far as miracles which are the base for many religions in Section 10 of his Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. Hume focuses mostly on Christianity and the miracle of Jesus rising from the dead. Hume argues that humans have no compelling reason to believe in miracles‚ and that the evidence for miracles is most definitely not enough to base a religion upon them. Human knowledge on miracles is all based on human testimony from those who have
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Socrates is known as the father of Western Philosophy and Descartes is known as the father of Modern Philosophy. Both are key members in shaping the world today. Socrates taught us to question everything and about critical thinking. Descartes taught us that humans are thinkers and that true knowledge is acquired through reason. Their lessons have inspired many different people who have made a foot print in history. Even today‚ one can see their influence guiding our information. Socrates has taught
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Introduction (33–36)‚ Descartes argues that our senses must be trustworthy because ideas that are innate to us‚ but defective‚ would not have been built into us by a God that is perfect (36). He shows this by first arguing for the existence of God‚ and from there he deduces that all of our clear and distinct ideas are innate and entirely trustworthy (36). By proving that all of our clear and distinct ideas are caused by God and that God is an infinite and perfect (non-deceptive) being‚ Descartes believes that
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For Descartes‚ you cannot be sure of one’s existence or its reality so first you must doubt it. But as we see through his work Meditations on First Philosophy‚ we are presented by his loosening grip on his own sanity since he had continued to doubt and never accepting to believe in other realities but only is certain of his own existence. Descartes gave the awareness that to doubt is to know and to know is to doubt. He had known that he exists because he can think‚ and he cannot doubt that he can
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Descartes’ Mind-Body Dualism It can be very simple. Just look at the world and ask yourself‚ “Is everything material? Or are there things in the world that are not material‚ but I still know actually exist?” Then‚ ask yourself a second question‚ “How can I reach at a definition so that the two cannot be mistaken for one another other?” Descartes defined every material thing as having an extension‚ which is another way of saying it occupies space. Furthermore‚ those material things cannot share that
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In the First Meditation‚ Descartes goes into depth on reflecting about the number of falsehoods and deceptions that he’s fallen for during his lifetime. This causes him to question everything that he has perceived as true or real‚ even something as concrete as the senses. It’s here where he attempts to deconstruct all the perceived notions and build a new foundation based on absolute truths‚ things that cannot be doubted. However‚ the most polarizing topic‚ and the one that I shall be arguing for
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