Seeking to strip his conception of knowledge to the bare minimum by removing all notions which can subject to reasonable doubt, Descartes differentiates between assumptions and true knowledge because, in his estimation, any perception based solely on sensory input is inevitably flawed, as the human sensory system is known to be fallible (Collingwood). By rejecting the role of assumptions in forming knowledge, Descartes devises perhaps the most well recognized philosophical postulations ever formed: Cogito ergo sum (I think, therefore I am).
Despite the revelations of Descartes' epistemological theories, it is clear that much of the modern human experience is based on widely held assumptions that have been collectively mistaken for knowledge. Cultural beliefs engrained over dozens of generations, religious doctrine issued through official edicts, and erroneous conclusions accepted at face value are examples of assumption usurping the place of empirical examination and logical reasoning. With the advent of anonymously contributed encyclopedia entries, and the instantaneous transmission of incorrect information to millions of people, the internet age has exacerbated the divide between assumption and knowledge. The blockbuster science-fiction...
Whether demonstrated by Meno's inability to define what he "knows" about virtue, or Descartes' willingness to admit that he cannot really "know" himself, philosophical discussions of assumption vs. knowledge have shown that, despite our unique cognitive capability for learning, the breadth of human knowledge may be based on nothing more substantial than the illusion of assumption.
Works Cited
Collingwood, Robin George. An Essay on Philosophical Method. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.
Grube, George Maximilian Antony. Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Meno, Crito, Phaedo. 2nd. Indianapolis, in: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2002. Print.
Gulley, Norman. Plato's theory of knowledge. Greenwood Press, 1986.
Ichikawa, Jonathan Jenkins and Steup, Matthias, "The Analysis of Knowledge," the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.),
Rist, John M. "Knowledge and Value in Plato." Phoenix. 21.4 (1967): 283-295. Print.
