ipl-logo

Descartes Second Meditations

991 Words4 Pages

Accepting that everything he previously believed might be false, Descartes presented himself as a skeptic of all types of knowledge. However, he clarified his scepticism is potentially temporary, as his goal while writing Meditations was to discern his true beliefs from the false. In order to eliminate the idea that all of his beliefs are erroneous, in his Second Meditation, Descartes attempts identify one piece of knowledge he is certain to be true. As a foundationalist, Descartes believed on the importance of an indubious believe that would serve as a foundation to his other beliefs. He claimed that if a belief was proven false, all the other beliefs built upon that foundation would also be proven false. Similarly, once an indubious belief …show more content…

Regarding Gassendi, Descartes wrote, “I have not been able to discover a single objection which those who have some slight understanding of my Meditations will not, in my view, be able to answer quite easily without any help from me.” Concerning this specific objection, I must agree with Descartes’ commentary on Gassendi. A close reading of the First Meditation makes it very clear that Descartes intends to doubt everything. Not only is he doubting his knowledge of the exterior world, but also his knowledge of himself. In fact, in the beginning of the Second Meditation Descartes writes how he will believe everything to be false, his memory to tell lies, and reject all he learned from his senses. Descartes’ claim that he has a mind, which further proves his existence, is literally the first and only thing he is certain of. It appears odd to me that someone who read the First and Second Meditation would write an objection like Gassendi’s. By claiming we can infer our existence, indubitably, from any action, he is assuming that we know indubitably that we do engage in different actions. However, to the extent of the Second Meditation, Descartes has not even established he has a physical body. Thus, the claim that other actions can prove existence appears to me not only incorrect, but also oblivious. There is no proof we engage in any

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Meditation 3 By Rene Descartes

    279 Words  | 2 Pages

    Siyi Lin Philosophy Essay 2/Meditation III Word count: As Descartes mentions in Meditation I, we assume God is an powerful demon but how can we prove that God exists? In Meditation III, he tries to prove the existence of God through two ways.

    Read More

  • Descartes Meditations On First Philosophy: An Analysis

    172 Words  | 1 Pages

    Descartes, in his Meditations on First Philosophy, used a method of doubt; he doubted everything in order to find something conclusive, which he thought, would be certain knowledge. He found that he could doubt everything, expect that he was thinking, as doubting is a type of thinking. Since thinking requires a thinker, he knew he must exist. According to Descartes if you are able to doubt your existence, then it must mean that you exist, hence his famous statement cogito ergo sum which is translated into ‘I think, therefore I am.’ Descartes said he was able to doubt the existence of his body and all physical things, but he could not doubt that his mind exists.

    Read More

  • Descartes Method Of Doubt Analysis

    508 Words  | 3 Pages

    The First Meditation is a exercises in learning to doubt everything that one believes at three different levels. Descartes notes that nothing is always as they seem at first glance and then notes to never trust in the truth of what we perceive (Perceptual Illusion). Descartes raised a more systematic way to doubt the legitimacy of sensory perception. He claims that anything we perceive in the physical world is nothing more than a fabrication of our imagination (Dream Problem).

    Read More

  • Descartes Sixth Meditation Analysis

    1919 Words  | 8 Pages

    In the sixth meditation, Descartes postulates that there exists a fundamental difference in the natures of both mind and body which necessitates that they be considered as separate and distinct entities, rather than one stemming from the other or vice versa. This essay will endeavour to provide a critical objection to Descartes’ conception of the nature of mind and body and will then further commit to elucidating a suitably Cartesian-esque response to the same objection. (Descartes,1641) In the sixth meditation Descartes approaches this point of dualism between mind and matter, which would become a famous axiom in his body of philosophical work, in numerous ways. To wit Descartes postulates that he has clear and distinct perceptions of both

    Read More

  • Comparison Of 2001: A Space Odyssey And The Matrix

    699 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the first meditation, he asks whether it is therefore possible that reality as he apprehends it is an illusion or dream conjured by an a l l - powerful deceiving demon; and i f nothing is "out there" or real, how can he be certain of his own personal existence? In his second meditation, Descartes famously concludes

    Read More

  • Descartes Second Meditation Rhetorical Analysis

    723 Words  | 3 Pages

    Descartes finishes up this Meditation with some more ethics about the self. Information of the self, or psyche, is more particular and sure than knowledge of the body. The technique for uncertainty in the First Meditation seemed to debilitate all information, yet in the Second Meditation Descartes discovers something that cannot be questioned. I think each of us must affirm our own particular presence and set up the means of our own

    Read More

  • Descartes Meditations On First Philosophy

    173 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Descartes’s Meditations on First Philosophy, he states numerous concepts, so he uses many arguments to support his interpretations of the world and point of views. Descartes is searching for certainty on various subjects; he wants to discover the truth. Does God exist (p.66)? What is a conscious being (p.69)? Is a soul and a body separate things (p.69)?

    Read More

  • Cogito In The Second Meditation By Rene Descartes

    1275 Words  | 6 Pages

    The next step that Descartes uses in the second meditation is the existence of this Godly figure. He questions his own beliefs with that of the God, and argues that a mind should be capable of thinking for them to be of existence, “Is there not some God, or some other being by whatever name we call it, which puts these reflections into my mind? That is not necessary, for is it not possible that I am capable of producing them myself?” He then puts forward that for one to be deceived by this “evil demon” as he describes it, they have to exist to be deceived.

    Read More

  • Descartes First Meditation Analysis

    997 Words  | 4 Pages

    Meditation is the introspective process that involves the mind turning back in and upon itself, removing itself from the material world and focusing its attention inward. Descartes employs meditation to detach the minds from external influences, to think and analyze philosophy from the original foundations. This brings us to Descartes First Meditation, with the introduction of the method of doubt, he presents his philosophical project and claims that in order to complete his project he needs to question the truth behind all his beliefs. He attempts to accomplish this impossible feat because as he’s aged he has realized the false foundations that he has held onto thus far and the ideas he’s built on them. To be able to tear down these beliefs,

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of René Descartes Mediations On First Philosophy

    1654 Words  | 7 Pages

    Notre Dame ID: 902008117 In René Descartes ' Mediations on First Philosophy, Descartes abandons all previous notions or things that he holds to be true and attempts to reason through his beliefs to find the things that he can truly know without a doubt. In his first two meditations Descartes comes to the conclusion that all that he can truly know is that he exists, and that he is a thinking being. In his third meditation, Descartes concludes that he came to know his existence, and the fact that he is a thinking being, from his clear and distinct perception of these two facts. Descartes then argues that if his clear and distinct perception would turn out to be false, then his clear and distinct perception that he was a thinking being would not have been enough to make him certain of it (Blanchette).

    Read More

  • Descartes's Argument On The Existence Of God

    753 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Meditation 3, the Meditator is creating arguments about the existence of god. This is where Descartes explains different reasons/premises to why god exists. Throughout Meditation 3, Descartes goes back and forth with his arguments arguing one thing then creating a counter argument to it at while still focusing on the main thing which is does god exist. For those wondering whether god does really exist stay tuned into what Descartes says. The premises from the meditation that claim god doesn’t exist are weak and invalid, and fail to give enough evidence to support the thought that god does not exists, which would conclude that God does exist.

    Read More

  • Descartes Non Deceive God Analysis

    726 Words  | 3 Pages

    We know clear and distinct perceptions independently by God, and his existence provides us with a certainty we might not possess otherwise. However, another possible strategy would be to change Gods role in Descartes philosophy. Instead of seeing God as the validation of clear and distinct perceptions, rather see him as a safeguard against doubt. This strategy, however, is a problem since it re-constructs the Meditations – Philosophical work of Descartes –.This is because it would not be God, who is the ultimate foundation of knowledge, but the clear and distinct

    Read More

  • Descartes First Meditation John Locke Analysis

    1857 Words  | 8 Pages

    One of Descartes’ many critiques was that of fellow philosopher John Locke. Using Locke I will argue that many of Descartes claims in his meditations on innate knowledge and reality show problematic. I do not totally agree with his proposition that only the mind can produce certain knowledge and that our senses are always under the attack of the devil that deceives us. I do however agree with Locke’s argument which opposes Descartes concerning doubt in the first meditation. During Descartes first meditation the focus was placed on doubt and how knowledge is innate in each of us.

    Read More

  • Descartes Sixth Meditation Essay

    1520 Words  | 7 Pages

    I will now explain why Descartes’ second response weakens his arguments in his Sixth Meditation. Descartes argues that both (1) and (2) are true. However, in his response to Elisabeth, Descartes argues that (1) and (2) are contradictory. If (1) and (2) cannot both be true at the same time, then at least one of (1) and (2) is false. I think that by acknowledging that (1), mind and body are distinct, is false, Descartes can resolve the contradiction without damaging his metaphysics too

    Read More

  • Descartes False Ideas Compared To The Method Of Socrates

    416 Words  | 2 Pages

    Descartes said, “Several years have now elapsed since I first became aware that I had accepted, even from my youth, many false opinions for true, and that consequently what I afterward based on such principles was highly doubtful. ”(1) After analyzing my fellow classmates’ thoughts on Descartes’ first and second meditation, I came to the conclusion that Descartes no longer had faith in what he learned throughout his entire life. Descartes radicalized his mindset to purge himself of what he perceived to be weak principles. He had hoped to strengthen his resolve in his pursuit of a life without doubt.

    Read More

More about Descartes Second Meditations

Open Document