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The Influence Of Rene Descarte's Meditation On First Philosophy

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The idea, reality and existence of a God and the influence a God has played, plays and is going to play on our lives is a substantial portion of which philosophy is molded. Often denoted to as the ‘Father of Modern Philosophy’, René Descartes (1590-1650) concreted his mark with his works, Meditation on First Philosophy. These works intended to transform the way in which the interactive relationship between the mind and the body was understood. It was within this infusion of information that Descartes became almost fixated with his works and by extension also with God. I will be maintaining the statement that God plays a significant role in Descartes epistemologies, however I personally deliberate that the mannerisms which Descartes concludes …show more content…

To be apart of these ideas however, conditions needed to be met. These were that the ideas must be clear and distinct to be trustworthy.

Descartes, on his internal thought journey came to the conclusion that he could prove the existence of God, based on reason. Descartes obeys the reasoning; because there is an idea of God in his mind, he then could define God (without prior knowing such thing exists). Descartes defined God as being ‘supremely perfect.’ For this to be, God would have to be in essence, the greatest thing imaginable. According to Descartes, lack of existence is an imperfection. Descartes must exist or else he would not be supremely perfect (to be perfect, something must exist).

i. Descartes exists ii. He has the idea of a perfect God iii. A perfect God would exist in reality not just as an idea iv. God exists
v. A perfect God would not fool me or allow me to be fooled vi. I can be sure the external world is real

Descartes evidently judges that God’s existence is decisive for acquiring certainty for clear and distinct ideas. It is extremely evident that God played an imperative role in Descartes …show more content…

He solidifies early on that ‘I exist’ and ‘I am a thinking thing’ are outside uncertainty and thus absolutely certain. Descartes is openly admitting that he is an imperfect being; Descartes is also fixed on God being as being supremely perfect.
Descartes declares that there are three types of ideas, innate, factitious and adventitious. Innate ideas are inherent from the birth; factitious ideas are created ideas that stem from our imagination and adventitious ideas are developed from worldly experiences.
Descartes is adamant that God cannot be a factitious idea neither an adventitious idea. Therefore this leaves God to be apart of the innate category, prevalent from birth.

Now the three ideas have been established there are a variety of the ideas, being, substance (finite or infinite) and modes, accidents.
Descartes infers that whatever is controlled by an effect must have been given to it by its cause. Descartes used this in stating ‘God exists and thus the existence must have a cause.’

Descartes has recognized that he exists and because of this, he must have a cause. He implores that the only cause for his existence must be because of either:
i. Himself ii. Himself always having

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