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Descartes: An Assessment of Readings Descartes
1.) What does Descartes’ mean when he claims, “I think, therefore I am”? Please describe the method he utilized to reach this conclusion. In your opinion, is this maxim a convincing foundation to base our knowledge of the world?
In the words of Rene Descartes, “I am, I exist, is necessarily true each time that I pronounce it, or that I mentally conceive it.” In “I think, therefore I am”, Descartes is simply building up on his ideal of what could be referred to as radical doubt. On this front, the idea is that we cannot deem something as being true on the basis of the mere perception of the sane. Descartes makes the observation that the only thing we can be certain of is that we have consciousness and a mind as without these, there would be no perceptions to be believed or doubts to be made. It is important to further point out that according to Descartes, the body and mind are not one and the same thing. Indeed, they are two separate entities – with the mind being more certain than even the body because it is through the mind that we can sense the body. Descartes strategy happens to be rather simple. He seeks not to believe, and thus doubt, all those...
This is more so the case given that he accepts for a fact that he has been deceived by his thoughts in the past. He is also aware of the fact that in the past, he has reasoned erroneously. Thus, because there is a possibility of his beliefs being false, it appears valid to subject his reasoning faculty (including his senses and beliefs) to doubt. He is also categorical that the beliefs he holds about the external world could be falsified by an evil demon inside of him. To a large extent, the only standard that could stand the test of time – and withstand the methodic doubt highlighted on this front - is ‘Cogito ergo sum!’
In my opinion, this particular maxim happens to be rather convincing – effectively meaning that we could anchor our knowledge of the world on it. This is more so the case given that the maxim could come in handy as I seek to discover other truths that may not necessarily be certain. From time to time, I lack certainty about some things. This is particularly the case given that I have in the past embraced some ‘truths’ that I came to realize later on they were not necessarily truths. Like Descartes, therefore, we could tap into Cogito in an attempt…
DESCARTES' BELIEVE IN GOD Descartes Believe in God Descartes' Believe in God Science attempts to prove how God did or does things. The assessment is heavily disputed by archaic religious doctrines. The traditional conflict between science and religion is entirely based on the dominion and not what is right or wrong. Rene Descartes' belief in God is not based on atheistic principles, but on blasphemy as seen from the way he investigates God's
Some of the reason for error, therefore, is not related to indifference or for not having enough time to fully consider some matter. Some of it is due to man's propensity to flaw, and to his limited ability (which is related to his limited mental and physical power). In addition to misinterpreting the nature of the relationship between intellect and free will, Descartes has incorrectly interpreted some of the most
Descartes argues that the mind and the body must be two different things since he knows the mind exists but knows no such thing about the body. Spell out this argument. What's wrong with it, if anything? Give a counterexample to the principle implied here. Are other philosophers that we have read drawing conclusions about what the mind must be like based on what we know about the mind or how
Descartes' Major Tenets Descartes Major Tenets Descartes was one of the most well-respected thinkers of his time, and he applied his special brand of logic to a wide-variety of disciplines, most notably mathematics and philosophy. The Cartesian approach to philosophy, like many approaches to philosophy, looked at the interaction of the mind and the brain. Were the mind and the brain one united organism, did they interact with one another, was one
This is indeed an absolutely profound concept in that it can't help but support the idea of the autonomous individual, existing in connection to thought. The truth of these emotions, be them good or bad, speak to the authenticity of the self. There's a notion of realness -- of the self that is a facet of the genuine, as emotions and desires are founded upon the genuine. This notion
Different people analyze different situations differently and reach to different conclusions. In supporting his idea he further argued that the senses should not be trusted because people get fooled by their sense. This is due to the reason that many variables affect a person's way of looking and perceiving an event. That's why different people experience same event in different ways. I do agree with Descartes on this point but