PHIL 100 Lecture 2: Lec2
Document Summary
Descartes : it is possible to meet this standard for justification. > beliefs gained and justified via(/after) sense experience. > there is at least one person in this room . **the dreaming argument (target posteriori beliefs) -> we can doubt sense perceptions. If i cannot distinguish with certainty between sense perceptions and dreams, then i cannot believe sense perceptions and dreams, then i cannot believe as true anything based upon sense perceptions. I cannot distinguish with certainty between sense perceptions and dreams. 2: therefore, i cannot believe as true anything based upon sense perceptions. Imagine that there is an evil demon who is powerful enough to deceive me about the nature of reality: this deception could extend to my reasoning abilities, therefore, i cannot be certain of anything. Argument : a set of statements, or premises, intended to provide support for the conclusion. Deductive argument : the truth of the premises guarantee the truth of the conclusion.
