Rene Descartes Meditations

Questions on Rene Descartes (1596-1650 CE)

(PHI 102)

Dr. Foster

1. Explain the philosophical mission undertaken by Descartes in his Meditations.

Descartes’s mission in his Meditations was to use the method of doubt in order to rid his mind of all beliefs that could be proved false. This provided him with the opportunity to arrive at some beliefs that could be proved ultimately right. In other words he wanted to find all beliefs that could not be false at all.

2. Would you describe Descartes’ epistemology as a priori or a posteriori? Explain your answer.

I would describe Descartes’ epistemology as a priori. Descartes uses the method of doubt in order to prove ideas and beliefs to be ultimately true or false. He does not use his experiences

in order to prove this, but instead he uses his thoughts and reason in order to come up with the conclusions brought forth in his Meditations.

3. Why was Descartes so interested in mathematical studies?

I think that Descartes was interested in mathematical studies because mathematics was the one thing that seemed to be ultimately true without any thought or reason why.

As in the definition of 2+2=4. Descartes spent what seemed like such a massive amount of time doubting beliefs and ideas that math seemed like the only thing that could not be doubted.

4. What role does extreme doubt play in Descartes’ philosophical mission?

Descartes use the method of doubt in order to prove beliefs and ideas to be true or false. This allowed him to make skeptical hypotheses that even called doubt upon his own knowledge. Which ultimately allowed him to come up with the conclusions found in his Meditations.

5. Delineate the epistemological criteria that Descartes relies upon to determine which ideas are not legitimately subject to doubt.

Descartes grouped certain ideas and beliefs into categories in order to use his method of doubt effectively. He uses the imagination, senses, and reason in order to make sense of the beliefs derived from the specific categories listed. Like I said before he then provides himself with skeptical hypotheses that even bring doubt into his own beliefs. So each of these categories go through this skeptical hypothesis and those that pass the first go through a second and so on, but those that fail can be proved false. This allows him to find beliefs and ideas that cannot be proved false at all such as how

2+2=4.

6. How does Descartes draw on the experience of dreaming to illustrate the supposed unreliability of sense perception?

It seems that Descartes pretty much says the experiences that we have while dreaming are just as realistic as when awake. As in how can we tell if we are awake if our senses are just as perceivable as when asleep compared to when we are awake? Which brings into play a whole other argument of if reality actually exists. Am I actually typing this?

7. Why does Descartes reject the words “rational animal” as a suitable definition for humans?

Basically Descartes rejects this idea of humans being a rational animal because of having to define rational and animal. Instead he ask “what am I.” This question comes from his famous statement “I think, therefore I am.”

8. What role does God play in Cartesian philosophy with respect to the affirming or denying of abstract propositions?

In Cartesian Philosophy God allows Descartes to prove the existence of God and then proving that the physical world exists. He reaches this conclusion by writing that since God exists he would not provide us with a world of illusions. Thus allowing the physical world to be true and that it is only connected with the mind through God.

9. Descartes believes that we know our minds better than we know our bodies. T or F

True

10. What is a thinking thing (according to Descartes)?

Being that think. It all comes down to Cogito ergo sum; “I think therefore I am.” Descartes can be certain that he exists because he thinks, which then allows him to be a thinking thing.

11. In what ways are humans supposedly distinct from animals or machines (according to Descartes)?

Although I think I might be mistaken I think Descartes proposes animals or machines are distinct from humans because of their lack of creative thinking. As in the complex way humans compose there selves through language and feelings are not capable in animals or machines.

12. Summarize Descartes’ argument for God’s existence in your own words and explain which kind of argument for God’s existence that it is

It seems that Descartes uses some form of Anselm’s ontological argument that God exists with the whole idea of God being an infinite and perfect being. Descartes provides reason that the fact we have an idea of an all infinite and perfect God then God must exist. He also goes on to talk about how God is the connection of the mind and external world since he is an infinite being and only he could create and infinite reality and so on. Like I said before this is an ontological argument since it provides propositions on the existence of God.