Midterm #2 Meditations chapter 1

Question 1

Epistemology

Answer 1

What does it mean to know something?
* knowledge, belief, formation, rationality, philosophy of science…

Question 2

Metaphysics

Answer 2

studies the nature of reality
* reality, freewill, God, philosophy of mind, human nature…

Question 3

Minimal Skepticism

Answer 3

View we know very few things

Question 4

Local Skepticism

Answer 4

view we lack knowledge in particular field (domain of discourse)

Question 5

Solipsism

Answer 5

the view the only thing we can know about our existence

Question 6

Global Skepticism 1

Answer 6

only thing I know is I don’t know anything

Question 7

Global Skepticism 2

Answer 7

I don’t know anything

Question 8

External Objects

Answer 8

objects exist in the world that are independent of our mind. Physically usually but no always

Question 9

God

Answer 9

that which nothing greater can be conceived. Perfect being, regardless of opinion of preference

Question 10

How do philosophers know that God is perfect?

Answer 10

because its defined that way

Question 11

When did Rene Descartes live?

Answer 11

from March 31 1596 to Feb 11 1650

Question 12

Name some facts about Rene Descartes

Answer 12

Philosopher, Scientist, Mathematician
➢ Invented the Cartesian Coordinate system
➢ Which becomes the foundations of analytic geometry ➢ Invented standard algebraic notation
➢ His work in math provided the basis for calculus to be
developed
➢ The “Father of analytic geometry”
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➢ The “Father of Modern Philosophy”
➢ Early supporter of Rationalism
➢ Widely considered a genius, even by his critics ➢ Discourse on the Method
● Meditations on First Philosophy

Question 13

What is the Method of Hyperbolic Doubt? and why did Rene Descartes implement it

Answer 13

His goal was to attempt to defeat skepticism because no one could provide a response

1) Examine each belief
2) any reason to reject it I don’t know it
3) any reason impossible to reject it I know it

Question 14

What were 3 catergories of meditation 1

Answer 14

1) the goal: to establish things that was are stable and likely to last
2) The skeptical worry: think about beliefs, very convinced true, some of these turn out to be false
3) the problem: how can I tell what beliefs are are trustworthy and true

Question 15

How was Rene efficient about looking at his beliefs

Answer 15

he didn’t need to reject his beliefs one by one because a lot of the beliefs are based on other beliefs. This was done by finding the foundation of common beliefs and going after the foundation

Question 16

What were the 3 arguments from Rene?

Answer 16

1) argument from sense 2) argument from dreams 3) the demon argument

Question 17

What is Renes argument from senses

Answer 17

A lot of what he believes to be true comes from the senses. Yet sense always can deceive, mirages for an example

Question 18

What is the dream argument?

Answer 18

that we could just be dreaming. Rene questions that he could be insane and that he is not who he is and its just a figment of his imagination from a mental hospital or the possibility is he is dreaming

Question 19

What was Renes rebuke to the dream and insanity argument?

Answer 19

images are images of something…something real those images are not possible to experience or think unless you have already experienced them the mind cannot create something out of notring and math in dreams doesn’t change therefore the basic building blocks are there

Question 20

What is the demon argument?

Answer 20

That a powerful being smarter then anyone conceives these experiences for one to exist yet none of it actually exists