descartes Flashcards
Why does Descartes introduce the possibility of an “evil genius” who deceives us in all
things?
to strengthen his method of doubt, proposing a hypothetical scenario where a malicious deceiver could manipulate our perceptions, pushing us to question the certainty of anything perceived through the senses.
What is Descartes’s cognitive defect doubt?
Descartes’s “cognitive defect” doubt refers to the possibility that our cognitive faculties themselves could be flawed or defective, leading us to make erroneous judgments about the external world.
Would Descartes allow that, even under the conditions of radical doubt, I can recognize “I am” from the fact that I am walking?
Descartes would argue that under conditions of radical doubt, the act of walking itself cannot be certainly known; however, the fact that “I am thinking” about walking confirms the indubitable existence of oneself as a thinking entity (“I am”).
What is Descartes’s cogito argument? Does it involve an inference?
Descartes’s cogito argument posits “I think, therefore I am” (Cogito, ergo sum). It is not a formal inference but a self-evident realization that occurs when doubting one’s own existence; the very act of doubting confirms the existence of a thinking self.
Consider the idea of a tree and the idea of a mind. Which would Descartes say has more objective reality? Which has more formal reality? Why?
The idea of a tree has more FORMAL reality because it is a finite substance that exists in the external world and the idea of a mind has more OBJECTIVE reality because the realm of consciousness and represents something infinite like God.
What is Descartes’s trademark argument? What role does it play in the overall structure of the Meditations?
Descartes’s trademark argument posits that our innate idea of God, being perfect and infinite, must come from a similarly perfect and infinite source—God himself. This argument serves to prove God’s existence and is central to establishing a foundation for true knowledge in the Meditations.
What is an argument Descartes offers for dualism, i.e., the “real distinction” of mind and body?
Descartes argues for dualism by stating the mind and body have different essential properties: the mind is indivisible and thinking, while the body is divisible and non-thinking, establishing their “real distinction.”
What are the three “primitive notions” that Descartes appeals to in his response to Princess Elisabeth?
Descartes’s three “primitive notions” include the notions of mind, body, and their union, which he uses to explain the nature of human experience and interaction between mind and body.
What role does Descartes give to the pineal gland?
Descartes assigns the pineal gland the role of the principal seat of the soul, where it directs bodily motions and sensations by interfacing between the immaterial mind and the mechanical body.
What is Princess Elisabeth’s most significant challenge to Descartes’s philosophy?
Princess Elisabeth challenges Descartes by questioning how an immaterial mind can interact with a physical body, pressing on the difficulties in explaining the interaction between mental and physical substances.
