Intuition + Deduction Thesis Flashcards
What is a Deductive argument?
A Deductive argument - Conclusion follows from the premises with absolute certainty (if premises are true then there’s concrete proof of the certainty of the conclusion) - it’s guaranteed. Ie P1- Timmy is a cat, P2 all cats are mammals P3 Timmy is a mammal.
Give a good example of a Deductive argument
Descartes Ontological argument;
Ontological;
P1- God is the most perfect being conceivable
P2- The most perfect conceivable being must exist
P3- If God did not exist he would not be perfect
C1- Therefore God must exist.
(its deductive as the premises guarantee the conclusion)
Define the meaning or Intuition
Intuition - Refers to rational intuition which is defined as discovering the truth of a claim just by thinking about it - so there’s no need to attend to anything external or outside your mind it’s simply something you can discover by attending to what’s already within ourselves (thinking about it) When we use rational intuition we will find that the claim is true.
How does Descartes believe we gain knowledge?
Descartes combindes rational intuition with deductive arguments to gain knowledge about ourselves and the world.
Explain Descartes claims that we use Rational Intuition + Deductive arguments to acquire knowledge
Descartes combindes rational intuition with deductive arguments to gain knowledge about ourselves and the world.
Eg. Descarte proves his own existence and discovers his first indisputable truth cogito ergo sum, the existence of god, and the nature of physical objects by utilising deductive arguments and intuition.
Descartes cogito is a ‘a priori’ intuition as we dont require our senses/ ie experience, to arrive at this indisputable truth. By contrast all we use is our a priori reasoning + reflect upon the premises of the argument. This just from utilising reason find something real about the world.
Good example of rational intuition = cognito as he knows he has to have a self even if he doesn’t have a physical body he has to have a mind in order for a form to deceive him - this had to be the case - thus this is rational intuition
Explain Descartes Proof of the External world
Descartes needs to prove that the external world exists ; as using the cogito, he’s proved only himself exists but not the external world.
Wax - Descartes reflects on wax - he is aware of physical objects which he knows the properties change. There’s 3 possibilities (1= it’s just in Descartes mind) (2= everything could be in god’s mind) (3= there’s physical objects + a world that exists) He acknowledges one of these possibilities.
1 - The cause of perception is either Descartes’ own mind, god or another mind, or physical object.
2 - Not Descartes: he is not dreaming and not able to voluntary control perceptions - because locke’s argument - the involuntary nature of our perception (otherwise everything would become reality)
3 - Can not be god or another mind (otherwise god is a deceiver) ie Ontological argument shows god is perfect and wouldn’t deceive us nor is he a deceiver.
Conclusion: Therefore the cause of his experiences of a physical world is the physical world. Therefore physical objects must exist alongside the external world.
What are the key criticisms of Descartes proof of the external world?
The Cartesian circle
Descartes utilises clear + distinct ideas in order to prove that God exists in his ontological argument however he needs god to exist in order to prove that he has clear + distinct ideas. Therefore the ontological argument + his proof of the external world argument fails.
Empiricist objections;
- Hume would argue it isn’t a contradiction to argue our physical objects are uncaused or not caused by God. Hume would also argue Descartes proof of the external world dis neither a matter of fact nor a relation of idea, thus it fails Humes fork and is useless.
