PHIL 1000H Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Circular Reasoning, Evil Demon
4 Apr 2016
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Descartes pours acid over all of his beliefs to find which are doubt proof. He comes to the conclusion that he can only be certain of his own existence (affirmed in meditations ii) He confirmed that he cannot be certain of his physical bodies existence as his physical body is perceived through his senses. He cannot doubt his own existence (his mind, self or soul) Therefore, my mind cannot be identified with a physical entity (the mind is something that is not physical, immaterial) Cartesian dualism is one of the most contributions of descartes. Ideas not derived of the senses, ideas that exist in one"s mind innately. The one most emphasized by descartes is the existence of a perfect being, or god (discussed in meditation iii and v) He believes that god has to exist as the idea was imprinted into his mind (ontological god argument)
