Philosophy Descartes – Flashcards

His goal is to establish the foundations for scientia.

It is knowledge that is absolutely certain.

You cannot doubt a proposition if and only if that proposition resists all skeptical scenarios; if you can't doubt a proposition, then you will accept the proposition as true.

Strong skepticism and our skepticism.

Nothing can be known, therefore knowledge is not possible.

Knowledge requires absolute certainty and since absolute certainty is not possible, knowledge is not possible.

What is merely believed can be true or falso; but what is known can only be true.

Argument from Illusion, Argument from Dreaming, and Argument from Evil Genius.

1. The senses have deceived us many times. 2. It is prudent never to trust that which has doubted us even once. 3. Therefore, we should not trust our senses. 4. Therefore, beliefs based on the senses are not certain.

1. To dream that I am sensing X is not to sense X. 2. I cannot prove that I am not dreaming . 3. Hence, I cannot prove that I am actually sensing. 4. Hence, I cannot prove that I am actually have any sensations. 5. Hence, my beliefs based on these seeming sensations are not certain.

- If there is an evil genius that is the cause of my experiences, then none of my experiences are genuine sensations. - I cannot be certain about whether or not there is an evil genius that is the cause of my experiences. - Hence, my beliefs based on these seeming sensations are not certain.

To prove that any sensory belief is not absolutely certain.

The view that knowledge is somehow acquired through and based on the senses.

The view that some knowledge is acquired and based on reason alone.

That which makes a thing to be what it is.

-Property: Thinking. -If I am thinking, then I exist. -If I exist, then I am thinking. -Thinking is done by the mind. -To be a mind= to be thinking. -Thinking is the essence of mind ***Therefore, I am a thinking thing, that's what I am.

1. If x and y have distinct essences, then x and y are distinct substances. 2. If x and y are distinct substances, then x and y can exist apart from each other. 3. If x and y can exist apart from each other, then x and y are really distinct. 4. The essence of mind is thought; the essence of body is extension. 5. Mind and body are distinct substances. 6. Mind and body can exist apart from each other. 7. Mind and body are really distinct.

-If something goes wrong with x, then x is faulty and the more something goes wrong with x, the more faulty x is. -the more faulty x is, the worse the maker is. -If god exists then he is perfect, but if he is perfect then since he created me, i cannot do wrong. -Since I am faulty and go wrong in my judgements, then God does not exist.

Choice and Judgments. The set of all things about which we can make judgments

Perception and Understanding.

-Proper: the set of all things that we can understand. -General- the set all things that we perceive, whether or not we can understand what we perceive.

It is wider than Proper and the same as General. We can make judgments on all things we perceive, whether we understand them or not.

- I make an error when I make a judgment about what I perceive but do not understand. - I avoid error when I make a judgment only about what I perceive and understand. - When I make an error I am misusing the will. - Even though I can use the will to make judgments about things I don't sufficiently understand, the will's purpose is to make true judgments. - Hence, making judgments about things I don't sufficiently understand is to misuse the will. - Hence, it's not God's fault but my fault when I go into error.