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Compare And Contrast Descartes And Augustine

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The first subject of discourse is the basis of doubt in the lives of Descartes and Augustine. Descartes has a process very unlike that of Augustine, which causes one to think about the authenticity of their conclusion, even if it is the same. Descartes ' process is purely artificial apart from his everyday life (I should say that purely is a bit too much since all philosophy has a partial component linked to the whole human person). Augustine 's approach to doubt is completely organic, there is no logical process taking place for him. Descartes definitely has a method to his skeptical reasoning. In his First Meditation of his writing on the Meditations of the First Philosophy Descartes goes about a lengthy, (not as lengthy as Kant) explanation of the process he is about to induct into his reasoning until he comes to a respectable conclusion of truth. Reason now leads me to think that I should hold back my assent form opinions which are not completely certain and indubitable...So, for the purpose of rejecting all my opinions, it will be enough if I find in each of them at least some reason for doubt...Whatever I have up till now accepted as most true I have acquired either from the senses or through the senses. But from time to time I have found that the senses deceive, and it is prudent never to trust completely those who have deceived us even once. (Descartes, Selected Philosophical Writings,76) Descartes gives a hint that he is not leaving the

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