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Decartes

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Thinking Things Exist, but not by Decartes’ standards According to the Cogito Doctrine Decartes is certain that he exists because he is a thinking thing. In my paper I am going to explain how Decartes justifies his claim that he knows for certain that he exists. After establishing a clear and concise understanding of Decartes’ justification I will point out that God’s existence is a fundamental premise in his argument for his existence. Then I will explain how Decartes incorporates his principles of justification to prove he can have clear and distinct ideas, which are the ideas that he can know to be true. Moreover, I will address how Decartes’ would use these principles to prove that other thinking things, besides he, exist as well. Finally, …show more content…

Existence is a perfect attribute and nonexistence is an imperfection, so a supremely perfect being would necessarily exist. This is when the substance doctrine is incorporated into the proof, and it is important to grasp its relationship with the principle of sufficient reason. The substance doctrine states that if something exists it must necessarily be either a substance or an attribute of a substance. According to the principle of sufficient reason substances contain more formal reality and are more real, and attributes contain more objective reality and are less real. Given this, the idea of a substance contains more objective reality than the idea of an attribute, as the idea of an infinite substance contains more objective reality versus the idea of a finite substance. Therefore, the idea of infinite substance must be the most objectively real idea that one could have, since substances are the only things that can possibly cause an idea to emerge in one’s head. More specifically, the only possible formal cause of the idea of infinite substance is God. It is important to realize the element of the principle of sufficient reason still applies. Given it is impossible to derive something more perfect from something less perfect, the idea of infinite substance could only come from …show more content…

God’s existence is the fundamental reason Decartes can completely rule out the possibility of doubt in clear and distinct ideas. I hope I have shown that from Decartes’ idea of perfection it follows that the Perfect God would not have created human beings with a defected faculty of judgment, because deceit is a flaw and God is flawless. Goodness and willing what is good are perfect attributes, which is why God created human beings with perfects intellects. The intellect enables you to distinguish what is true from what is false because it can have clear and distinct

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He then says that without his knowledge of God's existence, none of his knowledge could be so clear and distinct. It is easy for one to be puzzled by how poorly this resolution was articulated; how is that Descartes' proof of the reliability of clear and distinct perceptions is because of the existence of a [non-deceiving] God, yet his proof of God’s existence [as a non-deceiver] is because of the reliability of his clear and distinct perceptions? This apparent circular reasoning, formally known as the Cartesian Circle, makes his argument appear weak and void. Both parts of the Cartesian circle make sense, but not together. It would have strengthened Descartes’ argument to better phrase this part of the

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He says, “This necessity plainly suffices so that afterwards, when I realize that existence is a perfection, I rightly conclude that a first and supreme being exists” (45). He also later goes on to say that “I cannot think of anything aside from God alone to whose essence existence belongs” (45). Being that he clearly and distinctly perceives that existence could belong to nothing other than a supreme being, and this being achieves all perfections, Descartes reaches the conclusion of his argument that a supreme being indeed

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However, Descartes is indeed certain of the fact that he is a thinking being, and that he exists. As a result of this argument, Descartes makes a conclusion that the things he perceives clearly and distinctly cannot be false, and are therefore true (Blanchette). This clear and distinct perception is an important component to the argument that Descartes makes in his fifth meditation for the existence of God. This paper explains Descartes ' proof of God 's existence from Descartes ' fifth meditation, Pierre Gassendi 's objection to this proof, and then offers the paper 's author 's opinion on both the proof and objection.

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Richard L. Scott's work, "An Examination of Conscience, of the Understanding: Empirical Proof of the Existence of God," presents a thought-provoking exploration of empirical evidence supporting the existence of God. Scott delves into the realms of philosophy, theology, and science, aiming to provide a rational and analytical examination of conscience and understanding. In this essay, I will critically analyze Scott's arguments, considering their strengths and weaknesses, and assess the extent to which empirical proof can contribute to the discussion of God's existence, from understanding empirical proof to the role of faith and subjectivity. When it comes to understanding empirical proof it is crucial to remember that empirical proof rests

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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

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Obey or Disobey In this paper, I will argue that Descrates theories are not cogent. I will do so by demonstrating that there are differences between what Descrates believes to be true and his two main factors, intellect & will. A major component for Descartes’ account of free will is explaining where it is that human error comes from.

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Firstly, the possibility of the idea originating from nothing is ruled out for obvious reasons, as Nolan and Nelson highlight how ‘nothing’ does not posses the ability to cause, as it does not contain any properties and the effect cannot have more reality than the cause (Nolan and Nelson, 2006:108). Furthermore, as humankind are imperfect beings, Nolan and Nelson state that as we are finite beings we cannot conjure the idea of a more perfect and infinite being ourselves (Nolan and Nelson, 1996:110). Therefore, Descartes argues that this leaves only the possibility that an infinite being could cause the idea of an infinite being to exist innately within the mind of the finite cogito, like ‘the mark of a craftsmen stamped on his work’ (Descartes, 1996:35). Moreover, Descartes further believes that it would be impossible to exist with the idea of God, if God did not exist, and that this God could not be one that

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Discourse on the method, by Desecrate is a famous philosophical book, which focuses on doubting, certainty and existence. In his book, Desecrate constantly shifts from doubting to certainty. Although Descartes believes that everything can be doubted he finds ways to became certain of his existence mainly through quote “Cogito, ergo sum”, which means, “I think, therefore I exist”. Despite this phrase is one of the best in the world, and many people rushed to Descartes says, I see that it doesn’t have much significance as people think, he did not come up with any thing new. We have different kind of people, which are divided into religious, atheists and lost people.

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In this paper, I will deliver a reconstruction of Descartes’ Cogito Argument and my reasoning to validate it as indubitable. I will do so by justifying my interpretations through valid arguments and claim, by showcasing examples with reasoning. Rene Descartes is a French Philosopher of the 17th century, who formulated the philosophical Cogito argument by the name of ‘cogito ergo sum,’ also known as “I think, therefore, I am.” Rene was a skeptic philosopher amongst many scholastic philosophers of his time. To interpret his cogito argument as indubitable and whether it could serve as a foundational belief, he took a skeptical approach towards the relations between thoughts and existence.

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UID: 804954284 Normore, C Phil 100B 16 March, 2018 Am I Descartes or Augustine? In this paper, I will explain and compare Descartes’ view in the Second Meditation and Augustine’s view in the City of God Book XI CH.26 regarding self-existence in order demonstrate their differences and similarities. On the one hand, In the Second Meditation, Descartes proves his own existence by disregarding his common beliefs about sensory perception that are open to skeptical doubts and only using the ability to engage in cognition.

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884 Words | 4 Pages

In this paper, I will deliver a reconstruction of Descartes’ Cogito Argument and my reasoning to validate it as indubitable. I will do so by justifying my interpretations through valid arguments and claim, by showcasing examples with reasoning. Rene Descartes is a French Philosopher of the 17th century, who formulated the philosophical Cogito argument by the name of ‘cogito ergo sum,’ also known as “I think, therefore, I am.” Rene was a skeptic philosopher amongst many scholastic philosophers at his time. He took a skeptical approach towards the relations between thoughts and existence, to interpret his cogito argument as indubitable and whether it could serve as a foundational belief.

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This reply includes the explanation that the Perfect Island cannot be compared to God because the Perfect Island, if it were to exist, would be a finite and empirical Island and therefore imperfect by nature but God is infinite and therefore can and is perfect by nature. I will end with the conclusion that, based on St. Anselm’s argument, Gaunilo’s criticism and a possible reply to Gaunilo’s criticism, Anselm’s argument is true but only if

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1104 Words | 5 Pages

In his philosophical thesis, of the ‘Mind-Body dualism’ Rene Descartes argues that the mind and the body are really distinct, one of the most deepest and long lasting legacies. Perhaps the strongest argument that Descartes gives for his claim is that the non extended thinking thing like the Mind cannot exist without the extended non thinking thing like the Body. Since they both are substances, and are completely different from each other. This paper will present his thesis in detail and also how his claim is critiqued by two of his successors concluding with a personal stand.

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In the second meditation, Descartes uses this cogito of consciousness and existence to assume that the mind is distant from a body. “I am, I exist”. This essay I will clearly discuss an outline of Descartes cogito in the second meditation and how it deals with the subject of existence and also Descartes’s strongest and weakest arguments in this case. “The Meditation of yesterday filled my mind with so many doubts that it is no longer in my power to

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As the last proof is not as secure as the first two. The “infinite perfection of god” stands out the most promising as it capitalizes on the perfection of a single being. It is irrefutable that the perfect being is infinitely perfect since perfection is ideal. As well as the ability of the universe to only produce one perfect simple God. If there were to be many perfect Gods, they would be one in the same and the same being.

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