Descartes Meditations takes us on an intellectual, meditative, spiritual journey inward, questioning what exactly, if anything at all, we can know with certainty. Descartes was active in physics and mathematics, as he was interested in the potential of science to give us the truth about the world. Descartes believed that knowledge has secure foundations and and that all other knowledge rests upon these foundations. Hence, in order to establish what is “firm and constant in the sciences”, it is necessary to establish the very foundations of all knowledge so that he could use these principles to base the reasoning process upon. For Descartes, this meant removing all sensory prejudice. He proposed that one should investigate these foundations
…show more content…
The Argument of Illusions being that objects are images from ideas. He begins by establishing that there are three different types of idea. The first are Innate; being what the truth is. The next are Fabricated; these are made up, existing only in the mind but not in the outside world, such as unicorns. Finally, there are Originate ideas that are from things which are external. Descartes argues that there are varying degrees of reality. At the bottom, there are Modes that depend on finale substances for their existence (the color of a chair or a shape). Above the modes are Finate Substances, including us, trees, and tables. At the top are Infinite Substances or God. Each type must come from somewhere as you cant get something out of nothing. Descartes reality principle asserts that the reality of the cause is at least as great as the reality of the effect and is what brings about Descartes first proof of the existence of God. Understanding the word “God” to mean some infinite substance, a supremely intelligent being is a part of his essence. According to Descartes, the cause of this idea could only be something with infinite substance. This also means that God cannot be a deceiver as fraud and deception are defects and it a contradiction; it is impossible for a perfect being to have defects. Thus, “It is impossible that God would ever deceive me” (Descartes). For Descartes, this …show more content…
In “Mediation III”, Descartes establishes that the idea of clear and distinct perception rest on the foundation of a perfect God. Yet, Descartes proof of God appears to be grounded in the the idea that we clearly perceive this supreme being. His appeal to the “natural light of reason” isn 't any different than us perceiving clearly and distinctly. Descartes is relying on his reliability of perception of God in his attempt to prove that God exists. This circular reasoning is what is known as the “Cartesian Circle.” The premises of his argument explicitly draw upon the questions. Moreover, even if there is a supreme being that exists, how can it be proved that he gave us these faculties of will and intellect or that he has any interaction with us or cares about us whatsoever? His argument for God as a reason to believe all that one perceives is truth is more of a statement go faith than it is logic. Proving God’s existence is significant to the meditations because it is the only way to bring back the outside world, outside of the mind.For me, the only veridical foundation Descartes intellectual project finds is that I
The Argument of Illusions being that objects are images from ideas. He begins by establishing that there are three different types of idea. The first are Innate; being what the truth is. The next are Fabricated; these are made up, existing only in the mind but not in the outside world, such as unicorns. Finally, there are Originate ideas that are from things which are external. Descartes argues that there are varying degrees of reality. At the bottom, there are Modes that depend on finale substances for their existence (the color of a chair or a shape). Above the modes are Finate Substances, including us, trees, and tables. At the top are Infinite Substances or God. Each type must come from somewhere as you cant get something out of nothing. Descartes reality principle asserts that the reality of the cause is at least as great as the reality of the effect and is what brings about Descartes first proof of the existence of God. Understanding the word “God” to mean some infinite substance, a supremely intelligent being is a part of his essence. According to Descartes, the cause of this idea could only be something with infinite substance. This also means that God cannot be a deceiver as fraud and deception are defects and it a contradiction; it is impossible for a perfect being to have defects. Thus, “It is impossible that God would ever deceive me” (Descartes). For Descartes, this …show more content…
In “Mediation III”, Descartes establishes that the idea of clear and distinct perception rest on the foundation of a perfect God. Yet, Descartes proof of God appears to be grounded in the the idea that we clearly perceive this supreme being. His appeal to the “natural light of reason” isn 't any different than us perceiving clearly and distinctly. Descartes is relying on his reliability of perception of God in his attempt to prove that God exists. This circular reasoning is what is known as the “Cartesian Circle.” The premises of his argument explicitly draw upon the questions. Moreover, even if there is a supreme being that exists, how can it be proved that he gave us these faculties of will and intellect or that he has any interaction with us or cares about us whatsoever? His argument for God as a reason to believe all that one perceives is truth is more of a statement go faith than it is logic. Proving God’s existence is significant to the meditations because it is the only way to bring back the outside world, outside of the mind.For me, the only veridical foundation Descartes intellectual project finds is that I