Philosophy 1020 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Primitive Notion, Soltyrei, Occasionalism

• School: Western University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: Philosophy 1020
• Professor: Skelton

Document Summary

What is descartes in search of: a foundation for all knowledge. How is the foundation going to be arrived at: using the method of doubt: withhold assent from all that is dubitable (capable of being doubted, doubt until it is impossible to doubt. His conclusion: descartes notes that he has thoughts. In any case, he can be sure that he is something rather than nothing doing the thinking: problem: he has doubted that he has a body with senses. I am, i exist is necessarily true whenever it is put forward or conceived in the mind. An objection: thinking does not necessarily mean you exists, nobody can be certain he is thinking, you must know what thought is and what existence is. It is true nobody can be certain that he is thinking or that he exists unless he knows what thought is and what existence is: but, this doesn"t require reflective knowledge.