Med 1 Essay Flashcards
Introduction
+ Descartes introduced absolute knowledge
+ tried to defeat sceptics
+ used specific method of doubt
+ diabolical doubt
Paragraph 1 topic
Explaining the method of doubt
Paragraph 1 points:
+ method made Descartes doubt everything he encountered
+ anything that was undoubtably was true
+ could end up in solipsism
+ laborious, lead to less motivation
Paragraph 1 quote:
“Reason now leads me to think that I should hold back my assent from opinions which are not completely certain and indubitable”
Your stance on paragraph 1?
Find method of doubt effective
- plays sceptics at their own game
- suitably detailed
Paragraph 2 topic
Evaluation of the senses
Paragraph 2 points:
+ Descartes questions the reliability of his senses in providing information
+ decides he cannot trust them
+ eliminates ‘a posteriori’ knowledge
+ closer to absolute knowledge (less to sift through) but also further away as harder to determine what to believe
Paragraph 2 quotes:
“But from time to time I have found that the senses deceive, and it is unwise to trust completely those who have deceived us even once.”
“Towers that ha seemed round from afar occasionally appeared square at close quarters” - med 6
Paragraph 3 topic
Discussion of senses argument
Paragraph 3 points of evaluation:
- may be erroneous to rule out senses. Could be that only Descartes has unreliable senses and is, therefore, not making his theory universal
- still accepts some sensory information (vocabulary…)
+ definition doesn’t matter, theory does
Your stance on paragraph 3?
I believe Descartes’s decision to rule out sensory experience is effective
- continues to play sceptics at their own game with rationalism
- will make truths objective
- rigorous
Paragraph 4 topic
The dream argument
Paragraph 4 points:
+ presents dream argument: could be dreaming when he perceives to be awake
+ If any knowledge is true, regardless of dream, it is objective
+ two truths: mathematical certainties and existence of an outside world
+ first step towards absolute knowledge, found immutable truths
Paragraph 4 quote:
“As I think about this more carefully, I see plainly that there are never any sure signs by means of which being awake can be distinguished from being asleep.”
Paragraph 5 topic
Discussion of the dream argument
Paragraph 5 points:
- Descartes says there is no way to tell if you are dreaming or awake
+ how would you know you had been dreaming?
+ dreams are fantastical, life is not
Your stance on paragraph 5?
I agree with the criticisms, but find them irrelevant in his overall quest
- two truths are all that matter
- if you can’t tell, reality may be a combination of dreaming and being awake - meaning it doesn’t matter
Paragraph 6 topic
The deceiving god argument
Paragraph 6 points:
+ deceiving god: all powerful god that deceive humanity whenever possible
+ removes possibility of a priori knowledge
+ introduces him to diabolical doubt, can’t know anything if he is being deceived
+ Descartes abandons it due to Christian beliefs
+ reduces the reliability of his entire argument as he is insincere
Paragraph 6 quote:
“How do I know that God has not brought it about that’s I too go wrong every time I add two and three or count the sides of a square”
Paragraph 7 topic
The malicious demon argument
Paragraph 7 points:
+ malicious demon: same as deciding god, but go dis replaced with an evil demon
+ allows him to continue quest, without defying Christian upbringing
+ leads him to a final position of diabolical doubt, as he can seemingly know nothing
Paragraph 7 quote:
“I will suppose therefore that not God, who is supreme,y good and the source of truth, but rather some malicious demon of the utmost power and cunning has employed all his energies in order to deceive me.”
Paragraph 8 topic
Discussion of malicious demon argument
