Taylor Adair
Professor Derek Green
Philosophy 101
16 October, 2015
Defeating Epistemic Skepticism In the Meditations, René Descartes starts by doubting the truth in everything he has ever known in order to defeat epistemic skepticism, which is the theory that human subjects cannot achieve knowledge. For him to be successful in doing so, Descartes attempts to go back on the foundation on which all his former beliefs rested. He touches on various possibilities in his method of doubt which seem to contribute to the idea that humans can’t in fact achieve knowledge. While his argument on these circumstances may seem intriguing, however, Descartes eventually touches on the idea of “cogito ergo sum,” which translates to “I think, therefore I am.” …show more content…
“But I will struggle and try to follow the path that I started on yesterday. That is, I will reject whatever is open to the slightest doubt just as though I have found it to be entirely false, and I will continue until I find something certain - even if it is just that nothing is certain” (page 138.) Descartes states that even if all of the preceding conditions imposed by universal doubt may be true, there is one thing that he seems to be able to suggest to be true against all odds. Descartes argues that the statement “I am, I exist” seems to be something that can be assumed to be true. This understanding doesn’t come from sensory input or rely upon the existence of a material world. Furthermore, Descartes claims that in order for him to be deceived by this so called “evil demon,” he must exist. “Let him deceive me all he can, he will never make it the case that I am nothing while I think that I am something” (page 139.” Even an omnipotent entity can’t cause both instances to be true; that on one hand, Descartes is deceived but on the other hand, he doesn’t exist. In other words, if Descartes is deceived by this evil demon with unlimited power, he still exists nevertheless.
At this point, Descartes knows that he exists. He knows that he is a thing that thinks and he knows that he has ideas. He also claims that he has this concept of a perfect God - one that is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent. In other words, a God that can do anything, know …show more content…
In reality, though, Descartes can’t be certain of God’s existence because the supposed evil demon could just as easily be deceiving him anytime he has this idea that God exists. Descartes argues, however, that his proof comes from confirming what the Demon can’t cause him to doubt. That is, that he is a thinking being that exists and that he has this idea of a perfect God. Therefore, since he perceives that God both exists and isn’t a deceiver, Descartes clearly and distinctly believes it would be wrong to assume that his clear and distinct perceptions aren’t correct. In other words, Descartes clearly and distinctly perceives that his clear and distinct perceptions are true. In all, when Descartes clearly and distinctly perceives that God isn’t a deceiver and exists, he believes that his clear and distinct perceptions are therefore acceptable as true. In this instance, it makes sense to say that Descartes is in fact not making a circle arguement. The conclusion he makes at the end of the fifth Meditation that both God exists and isn’t a deceiver is just the conclusion that his clear and distinct perceptions are genuine, and therefore is the end to him doubting his
Professor Derek Green
Philosophy 101
16 October, 2015
Defeating Epistemic Skepticism In the Meditations, René Descartes starts by doubting the truth in everything he has ever known in order to defeat epistemic skepticism, which is the theory that human subjects cannot achieve knowledge. For him to be successful in doing so, Descartes attempts to go back on the foundation on which all his former beliefs rested. He touches on various possibilities in his method of doubt which seem to contribute to the idea that humans can’t in fact achieve knowledge. While his argument on these circumstances may seem intriguing, however, Descartes eventually touches on the idea of “cogito ergo sum,” which translates to “I think, therefore I am.” …show more content…
“But I will struggle and try to follow the path that I started on yesterday. That is, I will reject whatever is open to the slightest doubt just as though I have found it to be entirely false, and I will continue until I find something certain - even if it is just that nothing is certain” (page 138.) Descartes states that even if all of the preceding conditions imposed by universal doubt may be true, there is one thing that he seems to be able to suggest to be true against all odds. Descartes argues that the statement “I am, I exist” seems to be something that can be assumed to be true. This understanding doesn’t come from sensory input or rely upon the existence of a material world. Furthermore, Descartes claims that in order for him to be deceived by this so called “evil demon,” he must exist. “Let him deceive me all he can, he will never make it the case that I am nothing while I think that I am something” (page 139.” Even an omnipotent entity can’t cause both instances to be true; that on one hand, Descartes is deceived but on the other hand, he doesn’t exist. In other words, if Descartes is deceived by this evil demon with unlimited power, he still exists nevertheless.
At this point, Descartes knows that he exists. He knows that he is a thing that thinks and he knows that he has ideas. He also claims that he has this concept of a perfect God - one that is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent. In other words, a God that can do anything, know …show more content…
In reality, though, Descartes can’t be certain of God’s existence because the supposed evil demon could just as easily be deceiving him anytime he has this idea that God exists. Descartes argues, however, that his proof comes from confirming what the Demon can’t cause him to doubt. That is, that he is a thinking being that exists and that he has this idea of a perfect God. Therefore, since he perceives that God both exists and isn’t a deceiver, Descartes clearly and distinctly believes it would be wrong to assume that his clear and distinct perceptions aren’t correct. In other words, Descartes clearly and distinctly perceives that his clear and distinct perceptions are true. In all, when Descartes clearly and distinctly perceives that God isn’t a deceiver and exists, he believes that his clear and distinct perceptions are therefore acceptable as true. In this instance, it makes sense to say that Descartes is in fact not making a circle arguement. The conclusion he makes at the end of the fifth Meditation that both God exists and isn’t a deceiver is just the conclusion that his clear and distinct perceptions are genuine, and therefore is the end to him doubting his