Descartes Evil Genius Argument Essay
I. Descartes – Evil Genius Problem
A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF DESCARTES’ THEORY
The Doubts about the Evil Genius Doubt
1. Does the evil genius exist?
Although it may seem trivial to question the hypothetical being, Descartes’ arguments are also phrased cunningly to avoid questions. While Descartes is clearly considering even the most remote possibilities in his method of doubt, all he offers is the claim that such a being could exist. However, this is not seen as a solid basis upon which absolute doubt, required by Descartes, can be built. Ironically, his skepticism offers such that I am in a state of doubt, I will also have doubt about the possibility that there could even be a deceiving being. As such, my doubt about the possibility of such a being serves to undermine the greater doubt that is supposed to be generated by this being. In order for the evil demon to generate such a degree of doubt it must be possible for it to exist. However, Descartes does not provide enough proof for his claim of its possibility. This shows that Descartes’ evil demon argument fails to prove absolute doubt, which he
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An important part of metaphysical inquiry therefore involves learning to think with the intellect. According to Plato 's allegory of the cave the rationalist theme can be pictured as epistemically distinct worlds: i.e. what our senses reveal is a mirror of the shadowy imagery on the wall of a poorly lit cave, and what the intellect reveals is just like a world of fully real beings illuminated by bright sunshine. The metaphor clearly shows our epistemic plight on Descartes ' doctrines. The use of his doctrines and his methodology aims at would-be Knowers so that they can redirect their attention from the confused imagery of the senses, to the world of the intellect ideas and not the
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