PHL 708 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Scientific Revolution, Natural Philosophy, Empiricism
15 Sep 2016
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Modern implies: discontinuity of the middle ages and recognizable continuity with our situation. Descartes is part of the scientific revolution (refer to lecture 2) Descartes initiates modern epistemology and modern conceptions of the mind. Mechanical philosophy is concerned with the small particles which make up larger objects. Concerned with the method: attempts to introduce clarity and rigor of mathematics into natural philosophy. Descartes becomes convinced that the best way to establish the mechanical philosophy is to give it the right metaphysical foundation. Regarding the main purpose of the meditations on the first philosophy, descartes tells us he will prove that god exists and that the human mind is distinct from the body. (at 3). This is descartes" official claim, however, he has an additional agenda. In this section, descartes mentions several times arguments, conclusions, objections and rebuttals to those objections. The arguments contained in this work (at 5). Meditation 1: concerning those things that can be called into doubt.
