Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Excerpt from A Christmas Carol

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Q. What is Scrooge trying to do?

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Our senses can inform us that we are

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Q. How do we escape the problem of our

experiencing something that in fact we are not

E.g. We may dream we are flying; the sun on the horizon is much larger than the sun at midday

senses misleading us?

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Reason allows us to distinguish the illusory

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Q. How does reason allow us to do this?

from the real

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Three characteristics of rationalism: All knowledge forms a single system (of understanding)

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Three characteristics of rationalism: All knowledge forms a single system (of understanding) This system can be deduced by principles derived from reasoning alone

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Three characteristics of rationalism: All knowledge forms a single system (of understanding) This system can be deduced by principles derived from reasoning alone The criterion of truth is intellectual and deductive rather than sensory (as opposed to empiricism)

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Rene Descartes, 1596 - 1650

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Rene Descartes, 1596 1650 I found myself saddled with so many doubts and errors that I seemed to have gained nothing in trying to educate myself unless it was to discover more and more how ignorant I was.

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Metaphysics What is the world really like? What is the nature of reality? What is the truth out there? Epistemology Want can I know about the world? Does my knowledge reflect the nature of reality? Is my knowledge true?

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

DISCOURS SUR LA MTHODE Discourse on the method of rightly conducting the reason and seeking the truth in the sciences

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

That is why I gave up my studies entirely

I resolved to seek no other knowledge than that which I might find within myself, or perhaps in the great book of nature.

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

1. Never accept for true anything which I do

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

1. Never accept for true anything which I do

not clearly know to be such

not clearly know to be such 2. Divide each of the difficulties under examination into as many parts as possible and as might be necessary for it adequate solution

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

1. Never accept for true anything which I do

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

1. Never accept for true anything which I do not

not clearly know to be such 2. Divide each of the difficulties under examination into as many parts as possible and as might be necessary for it adequate solution 3. Commence with what is easiest to know and move stepwise to the more complex

clearly know to be such

2. Divide each of the difficulties under

examination into as many parts as possible and as might be necessary for it adequate solution 3. Commence with what is easiest to know and move stepwise to the more complex 4. Review my knowledge at every stage to ensure nothing is omitted

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Descartes had an education in mathematics

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Descartes approach is skeptical in that it

so he developed an axiomatic system for knowledge, one which starts from axioms that are self evident truths and then permits the logical deduction of further truths

calls every belief into question, but not skeptical in that he allows that there might be indubitable truth(s) to serve as the foundation of knowledge

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Method of Doubt Plan A: Find some truths that are self evident and use them as axioms

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Method of Doubt Plan A: Find some truths that are self evident and use them as axioms

OR
Plan B: Take a belief; if it can be doubted, discard it. Repeat this process for all beliefs. Those which are not discarded are then indubitably true, and can be used as axioms

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Q. Prove that you are not dreaming this.

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Since the senses can

deceive us, we are not able to ever trust them. How can we know when they are deceiving us and when they are not?

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

1. Information gained through the senses

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

(e.g. physics, astronomy, medicine) can be doubted. 2. Some things are always true (e.g. 1 + 1 = 2; a square always has four equal sides)

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Although a good god would not deceive

Descartes it is possible that there is an evil demon who could deceive him, even to the extent that he falsely believes that he possesses senses or that 1 + 1 = 2. Is there anything about which Descartes can be certain?

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

I soon noticed that while I thus wished to

Cogito ergo sum

think everything false, it was necessarily true that I who thought so was something. Since this truth, I think, therefore I am, was so firm and assured that all the most extravagant assumptions of the skeptics were unable to shake it, I judged that I could safely accept it as the first principle of the philosophy I was seeking.

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Cartesian Dualism: I concluded I was a substance whose whole essence or nature was only to think, and which, to exist, has no need of space nor of any material thing. Thus it follows that this ego, this soul, by which I am what I am, is entirely distinct from the body and is easier to know than the latter, and even if the body were not, the soul would not cease to be all that it is now.

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Clear and distinct ideas: As I observed in the words I think, therefore I am, there is nothing at all which gives me assurance of their truth beyond this, that I see very clearly that in order to think it is necessary to exist, I concluded that I might take, as a general rule, the principle , that all things which we very clearly and distinctly conceive are true, only observing, however, that there is some difficulty in rightly determining the objects which we clearly conceive.

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Is there a god? If so, is that god a deceiver?

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Is there a god? If so, is that god a deceiver? Q. Why does Descartes want to answer

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

If a non-deceiving god exists, then

these questions?

Descartes is not being deceived by his perception of the world, so the world must exist

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Does god exist? God is a perfect being There must be at least as much perfection in the cause as in the effect (There must be an initial cause) Therefore the cause of my idea of a perfect being (i.e. the effect) is a perfect being Therefore, there is a god

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Descartes doesnt distinguish between being

less perfect than and being inferior to. If I cannot run a 4 minute mile I am not less perfect than someone who can, I am inferior to them.

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Q. But if there is a deceiving demon who

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

If god is perfectly good then god would not

could deceive Descartes into believing 1 + 1 = 2, couldnt that demon also deceive him into believing in a god?

deceive Descartes.

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

If god is perfectly good then god would not

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Descartes wants to show god is a non

deceive Descartes. But why not? What is the purpose of a white lie?

deceiver to justify that a clear and distinct idea is true; he uses a clear and distinct idea (of god) to show that god is not a deceiver

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

The ontological argument: God is a being greater than which nothing can be conceived (therefore god is omni-everything) To exist is greater than not to exist Therefore god exists

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

The unicorn argument A super-unicorn is more perfect than any other unicorn To exist is more perfect than not to exist Therefore a super-unicorn exists

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

This false-color X-ray picture shows a number of

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

X-ray sources, likely X-ray binary stars, within Andromeda's central region as yellowish dots. The blue source located right at the galaxy's center is coincident with the position of the suspected massive black hole. While the X-rays are produced as material falls into the black hole and heats up, estimates from the X-ray data show Andromeda's central source to be surprisingly cool - only a million degrees or so compared to the tens of millions of degrees indicated for Andromeda's X-ray binaries

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Solipsism, the black hole of philosophy

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Black hole Gradual collapse of matter Gravity forces the collapse Matter is fused All matter is pulled inwards until there is a singularity; nothing can escape

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Black hole Gradual collapse of matter Gravity forces the collapse Matter is fused All matter is pulled inwards until there is a singularity; nothing can escape Solipsism Gradual collapse of beliefs due to doubt Reason forces the collapse Beliefs are discarded There is a singular knowledge claim cogito ergo sum which transcends time

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Was Descartes a skeptic?

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Belief vs Knowledge

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

Belief Convictions about certain aspects of our experiences Strength of belief depends on the strength of the justification Knowledge Implies certainty and indubitability and truth

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

We can be certain about cogito ergo sum In order to doubt there must be a doubter i.e. me The law of non contradiction tells us that I cannot both exist and not exist at the same time The law is self evidently true

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism

We can doubt cogito ergo sum Perhaps we are unable to realize we do not exist Why is the law of non contradiction true? If you stand with one foot in a circle and one foot outside, are you inside the circle or outside it? Both? Neither? We do not fully know the world; perhaps, in that part of the world we do not know, this law is not true.

Introduction to Philosophy Descartes Rationalism