Epistemology:06. Descartes' Proof of the External World Flashcards
What is Descartes’ Ontological Argument?
The idea of God is the idea of a supremely perfect being. A supremely perfect being does not lack any perfection. Existence is a perfection. Therefore, God exists.
What is the ultimate question in Descartes’ proof of the external world?
Is the intuition and Deduction Thesis correct?
What is the purpose of the Meditations?
To find the truth by avoiding skeptical doubts.
What does Descartes need to show to avoid skepticism?
He is not being deceived by an evil demon and the physical world exists (he is not dreaming).
What is the Wax Argument?
When wax is melted, it loses its sensory qualities yet is still recognized as the same wax, showing that our understanding of physical objects is not based on sensory qualities.
What remains the same when wax undergoes changes?
The concept of the wax as something extended and changeable.
How does Descartes conclude that the wax’s properties do not derive from imagination?
Because the understanding of the wax is clear and distinct, not based on perceptual experiences.
What is the significance of clear and distinct ideas in Descartes’ philosophy?
They are believed to be true, allowing the conclusion that material objects are extended if they exist.
What does Meditation II state about material objects?
Our clear and distinct idea of material objects is that they are extended.
What is the implication of Meditation VI regarding God’s capabilities in the creation of physical objects?
The concept of a physical object is not contradictory, so if God exists, it is possible that physical objects exist.
Why is deception considered an imperfection in Descartes’ argument?
Being deceived is bad as it results in a loss of truth and causing something bad is wrong.
What does Descartes claim about the faculty given by God?
God has permitted no falsity in my opinion which he has not also given me some faculty capable of correcting, allowing for no incorrigible errors.
What is the first premise (P1) in Descartes’ proof of the external world?
I have involuntary perceptual experiences of physical objects.
What conclusion (C1) does Descartes reach regarding the cause of his perceptual experiences?
Therefore, the cause of my perceptual experiences is not my own mind.
Cause of perceptual experiences: If the _____ is God, then God has created me with a very strong ______ to have a ____ _____ belief that I ______ correct.
If the cause is God, then God has created me with a very strong tendency to have a false belief that I cannot correct.
What conclusion (C3) does Descartes derive about God’s nature?
Therefore, God is not a deceiver.
What does C5 conclude about the existence of physical objects?
Therefore, there is an external world of physical objects that causes our perceptual experiences.
Fill in the blank: The cause of perception is either ______, God or another mind, or physical objects.
Descartes’ own mind
True or False: Descartes believes he is dreaming.
False
What does Descartes conclude about the source of his experiences of a physical world?
The cause of his experiences of a physical world is the physical world.
