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Modern Philosophy Exam 1 > Descartes Slides notes > Flashcards

Descartes Slides notes Flashcards

1
Q

Descartes is considered the father of what?

A

the father of modern philosophy

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2
Q

What century was Descartes alive in?

A

end of 16th century to middle of 17th century

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3
Q

Is Descartes a rationalist or a empiricist?

A

rationalist

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4
Q

What is the intention of Descartes meditations?

A

to persuade

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5
Q

Descartes is a founding figure of what?

A

the enlightenment

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6
Q

What was the modern turn in philosophy

A

a move from scala naturae to a mechanistic view

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7
Q

Mechanistic view

A

There are universal laws and things in the world that behave a certain way bc of these laws

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8
Q

Scala naturae

A

ladder/stairs of nature

Nature is set up w a purpose or goal in mind

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9
Q

Descartes wants to move to this figure

A

the duck
- mechanistic view

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10
Q

The duck

A

focus on the inner workings of things

things are explained via evolution

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11
Q

what did descartes argue for?

A

the mind-body problem

the existence of god

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12
Q

What did descartes write for a living?

A

catholic textbooks

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13
Q

what happened to descartes as a result of his philosophy?

A

he was threatened with explusion and book burnings so he fled to Hague (Netherlands) under the protection of the Prince of Orange

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14
Q

Did descartes believe in god?

A

Yes

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15
Q

What happened to Descartes in 1649

A

He joined the court of Queen Christina of Sweden and made to discuss philosophy at 5am everyday

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16
Q

When did Descartes die?

A

1650

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17
Q

who was scholastic philosophy deeply influenced by?

A

aristotle

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18
Q

Scholastic philosophy

A

Medieval

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19
Q

What does scholastic philosophy start with?

A

the bible

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20
Q

Who is the “Auctor”

A

God

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21
Q

Why did the scholastics love Artistotle?

A

He does not totalize like Plato does

He left room for not knowing, faith, etc.

He starts with what is already known

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22
Q

philology

A

love of logos

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23
Q

What did the scholastics do in cases of disagreement?

A

they used sententiae

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24
Q

There is no question about ____ in scholasticism

A

the auctor

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25
Q

What did scholasticism believe about science?

A

there is not one unified science

Each science has its own proper object of study

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26
Q

what does scholasticism believe about the world?

A

there is not a unified world

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27
Q

substantial forms

A

specific to each thing + characteristics

Ex: whiteness, bear-ness

Descartes believes this explains nothing

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28
Q

what does each substantial form have?

A

its own purpose

implies a Creator with an overall plan

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29
Q

Entelechy

A

purpose

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30
Q

The modern turn moves from a start of ______ to a start of _______

A

Instead of starting with Faith/ Authority (Scholastic) –>
Starts with Rational Certainty (Modern)

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31
Q

Modern turn: Instead of separate sciences (Scholastic) —>

A

A unified philosophy (Modern)

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32
Q

Modern turn: Instead of Substantial Forms, Teleology (Scholastic) —>

A

Mechanical explanations of physical things
(Modern)

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33
Q

Rational certainity

A

Only believe those things which cannot be denied

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34
Q

what is the starting point for Descartes?

A

Hyperbolic doubt

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35
Q

Hyperbolic doubt

A

Not each individual opinion, but their basic principles:
“Once the foundations of a building are undermined, anything built
on them collapses of its own accord.”

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36
Q

First thing you can doubt

A

small, far away things

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37
Q

Why are small, far away things easy to doubt

A

because the senses can fail us

38
Q

Second easiest thing to doubt

A

where I am; What I am wearing. Etc.

39
Q

Why is “where I am; What I am wearing. Etc.” easy to doubt

A

Because I could be dreaming/on drugs/crazy

40
Q

Third easiest thing to doubt

A

simple ideas

41
Q

why are simple ideas easy to doubt

A

because of an evil deceiver

42
Q

Outside ring of the target

A

easier to doubt (small, far away things)

43
Q

inside ring of the target

A

harder to doubt (simple ideas)

44
Q

middle ring of target

A

second easiest to doubt (where I am, what I am wearing etc.)

45
Q

The painter’s Analogy

A

The Simplest Elements must be Real

“For whether I am awake or asleep, two and three added together are five, and a square has no more than four sides.” - Descartes

46
Q

Which sciences are more sure than others?

A

Arithmetic and geometry are more sure than astronomy and medicine

47
Q

What is true whether or not you are deceived

A

I know that “I” exist

even if “I” am always deceived

48
Q

“Cogito, ego sum”

A

I think therefore i am

49
Q

First definition of “I.” Why does it not work?

A

A rational animal

You would have to define “rational” and “animal”

50
Q

Second definition of “I”

A

A body

51
Q

What does Descartes consider a body to be?

A
  • Something that has a specific location
  • Moved from without
  • No two can be in the same place
  • Nutrition
  • Sense Perception
52
Q

All we know is that

A

the “I” is a “thinking thing”

53
Q

Lesson about imagining and knowing

A

It is often harder to IMAGINE what we KNOW most
clearly (and vice versa)

54
Q

What is easy to imagine?

A

the body

55
Q

what is harder to imagine?

A

the mind

56
Q

Which are we more certain exists? mind or body?

A

mind

57
Q

So what can we know for sure beyond “I” exist?

A

Simple (i.e., “clear and distinct”) ideas. (Logic, Math, etc.) but ONLY if there is no supernatural deceiver

58
Q

How does Descartes plan to prove that there is no supernatural deceiver?

A

Must prove (1) that God exists, and that (2) He is no deceiver.

59
Q

first premise of proving God’s existence

A

(1) I have the idea of God

60
Q

second premise of proving God’s existence

A

(2) The idea of God has the most “objective reality” (as an
idea).

(Objective reality: formal/definitional reality)

61
Q

third premise of proving God’s existence

A

3) There must be as much reality in the CAUSE as in the
EFFECT.

(i.e., What is more perfect cannot be produced by what is less perfect.)

62
Q

Fourth premise of proving God’s existence

A

(4) “I” am only a finite substance.

63
Q

proving god exists

A

Therefore, the idea of God could not have come from me; but must be placed in me by an actually existing God! (Innate)

I cannot produce the idea of an infinite thing because I am finite

64
Q

What is the most real definition?

A

the definition of God

65
Q

Example of the Cause and Effect premise

A

A stove that only goes up to 199 degrees cannot boil water up to 212 degrees but a stove that goes up to 500 degrees can.

66
Q

Proving God is no Deceiver premises

A

(1) God exists and is perfect
(2) Deception is an imperfection

67
Q

Conclusion of premises of proving god is no deceiver

A

Therefore, God is no deceiver, and would not let us be constantly
deceived by any other supernatural being. (e.g., an evil demon)

68
Q

The Cartesian Circle

A

Circular reasoning

I know that what I perceive is true. How? Because God is not a deceiver. How do I know that? Because I perceive that God exists.

69
Q

What do we know beyond “I am”

A

We can’t step outside ourselves. Thus we can’t know if our ideas match up with the things out there (Adventitious)

70
Q

Adventitious ideas

A

Come from the outside

71
Q

Invented ideas

A

made up (fictional)

72
Q

Innate Ideas

A

Ideal which is necessarily true (apodictic) & prior to sense experience (a priori)

73
Q

apodictic

A

necessarily true

74
Q

We can’t step outside ourselves therefore ___

A

we should instead focus on our ideas themselves

75
Q

What are known through the senses

A

Scent, sound, taste, texture.
- These all change

76
Q

Wax example: When you get rid of the senses, what is left?

A

extension itself
- you know that you have something in front of you.

77
Q

A priori

A

before sense experience

78
Q

A posteriori

A

after sense experience

79
Q

takeaway from wax example

A

1) a distinct idea that bodies exist as extended

2) extended bodies produce ideas in our mind

3) extended things may not resemble our perceptions of them

80
Q

Fire example

A

the fire produces heat or pain in US (our senses) but does not necessarily contain heat or pain in itself

81
Q

The chiliagon example

A

The imagination (having an “image”) is not necessary to understand with the mind (innate)

82
Q

2 classes of “Created Substances”

A

thinking things (res cogitans)

extended things (res extensa)

83
Q

Thinking things

A

res cogitans

84
Q

extended things

A

res extensa

85
Q

characteristics of res cogitans

A

not extended

not divisible

moved from within

86
Q

what are thinking things (res cogitans)

A

mind, ideas

87
Q

What are extended things (res extensa)

A

every physical thing

88
Q

characteristics of res extensa

A

extended

infinitely divisible

moved from without

89
Q

According to Descartes, how do extended things (res extensa) and thinking things (res cogitans) interact?

A

the pineal gland

90
Q

Who did Descartes talk with about the interaction between extended things (res extensa) and thinking things (res cogitans)?

A

Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia

91
Q

Conservative solution to interaction problem

A

By Gottfried Leibniz
- Underneath all that is the soul (God)

92
Q

Radical solution to interaction problem

A

By Baruch Spinoza
- The mind is a mechanism. Without the brain, the mind is nothing

Modern Philosophy Exam 1 (7 decks)

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