Descartes Analysis

Question 1

what is the pre philosophy attitude

Answer 1

we are minded beings amongst others in the world
we can genuinely experience our environment
we know these things to be true

Question 2

premise 1 basic

Answer 2

theory of knowledge is basic
“start again right from the foundations”
to establish something that is “stable and likely to last”
ensure we can gain knowledge using the right mehtods

Question 3

premise 2 knowledge advancing

Answer 3

to be knowledge advancing, beliefs must have foundations
“once the foundations of a building are undermined, anything built on them collapses”
some beliefs foundational - others make a superstructure
doubt foundations then doubt all connecting beliefs

Question 4

premise 3 indiv

Answer 4

inquiry must be individualistic
“i am here quite alone”
w/o reliance on others

Question 5

premise 4 thresh

Answer 5

knowledge just be regarded as high threshold
“hold back my assent from opinions which are not completely certain”
beliefs must be justified

Question 6

main conclusion

Answer 6

all inquiry, including scientific, is dependent on a philosophical search for individualistic certainty about the foundations of knowledge

Question 7

describe descartes method of doubt

Answer 7

some (not all) beliefs are false but cant tell which so must review fundamental beliefs and reject those which are false and build up on those which are certain

Question 8

eval premise 1

Answer 8

there may be knowledge prior to theory
do not need theory to have knoweldge ie breathing w/o theory of resp
may need to know before theory can be developed

Question 9

eval premise 2

Answer 9

beliefs must have foundations to be knowledge advancing
assumption that must be building like is questionable
could be web-like

difficult to justify how any belief may be foundational

• beliefs cant need no justification if high threshold
• cant justify one belief with another as other must be justified
• beliefs cant justify themselves

Question 10

eval premise 3

Answer 10

surely better to be communal beliefs not individualistic

Question 11

eval premise 4

Answer 11

knowledge must surely only be medium threshold

beliefs must be very specific to be high threshold - even science is only general and uncertain