PHL 708 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Archimedean Point, Dream Argument, Omnipotence
4 Oct 2016
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Aim is to find a secure foundation for knowledge something certain an archimedean point (or else find out that nothing is certain: cf. Method of doubt: proceed by putting aside everything that admits of the least doubt (at. Three stages: perceptual fallibility dream argument, evil genius argument. First indubitable proposition immune to doubt i am, i exist (cogito argument) Doubting the conclusion of the cogito would be self-undermining. For example, responding to attendance by saying not here . The cogito shows the thinking thing is a mind or intellect that exists, however, it may or may not be a physical thing. It doubts, affirms, denies, etc but its primary activity is judgement. No proof that a physical world exists. The cogito advances the meditations as a whole because we now have a foundation for indubitable knowledge. We tend to think that the things we know most clearly are the physical objects we perceive.
