Rene Descartes Model Of Knowledge

Rene Descartes aims to use rational theory to answer the question how do we know we exist and that if anything is real. He provides a model for perception and understanding in his search for knowledge. Descartes’ model of knowledge is significant in his contribution to the thinking process. Ridding himself of all prejudice and prejudgments, leading him to doubt everything previously taken to be true he begins his process of knowing based upon a scientific approach and attempted to give a rational answer to his problem. Thus, reasoning and deductive processes were employed by him to discover knowledge. However, there are moments in his thought process that seem to be illogical or forced. In this essay we will be examining these moments, and

Thus, all clear and distinct perceptions must be certain. The reasoning here might seem a little circular. The thinker is certain because thought is clearly and distinctly perceived. Yet clear and distinct perception must be certain due to this thought. However, if God can deceive us of our clear and distinct perceptions, perhaps even the thought can be cast back into doubt. The validity of Descartes’ model of knowledge is further questioned when Descartes seem to use God’s existence to escape this flaw in logic. Descartes wants to prove that God exist by claiming it as a clear and distinct perception. However, in order to proof that he has to rely on his clear and distinct perception which is confirmed by God. The proof is known as the "Cartesian Circle." By claiming both that our clear and distinct perceptions are true if God exist and that we know that God exist as we can clearly and distinctly perceive the idea of God. This circular logic affects the validity of Descartes model of

Though the idea of God might have come from the passing down of knowledge through generations, at the end of that causal chain, there is a first cause, which is God. The proof of the first cause is usually used in pointing out that there must be some definite beginning at the source of all change in this universe. The assumption that all causal chains must have a first term and that this first term is God requires a believer in faith rather than presenting a rigorous proof.

The validity of Descartes’ model of knowledge also seems to face a problem when proving the neutrality of knowledge. Knowledge is never free from the influence of upbringing and experiences. Descartes’s knowledge was not truly neutral, even though he states that he frees his mind from all previous influence. Knowledge cannot be found based on what has yet to be proven. But it is possible to find knowledge on presumptions. Presumptions come first. While Descartes attempts to challenge the then-current set of beliefs, his attempt ultimately was to only replace one set of principles with