PHIL 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Cartesian Coordinate System, Aristotelian Physics, Classical Mechanics
Med 1: Scepticism
Med 2: I exist
Med 3: God exists
So whatever I clearly and distinctly perceive to be true, is true.
God is not a deceiver, therefore I can trust my senses.
Med 4: (Yes, I am unable to avoid all mistakes) Errors of judgement depend on will - it is
possible to never make a mistake if you reign in your will to jump to conclusions
Med 5: Skip
Med 6: Material objects exist. [Souls and minds exist as well]
Epistemology - branch of philosophy that studies knowledge
● What do we know?
● What can we figure out?
● Theory of Knowledge
Med 6: The argument for material objects
● Material objects exist
● There are souls and they are immaterial, but they do exist (comparable to the mind)
● Objects must have everything that I clearly and distinctly understand them to have, but
they may not appear as I perceive them - in this way I can be certain they exist
● Descartes cannot prove the existence of material objects without having established that
God exists first.
Argument
Premise 1: I have clear and distinct perceptions of material objects
Premise 2: If there were no material objects, God would be a deceiver (contradiction).
Conclusion: Hence, material objects exist.
Descartes
● Philosophy is like a tree (back then all knowledge was categorized under philosophy)
● Roots are the foundation - metaphysics the ultimate foundations of your knowledge point
● Trunk is physics, second most important
● Branches are all the different sciences, 3 in particular
● Medicine, mechanics, morals (ethical philosophy)
● You have to start at the roots and gain knowledge to get to the branches
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Document Summary
So whatever i clearly and distinctly perceive to be true, is true. God is not a deceiver, therefore i can trust my senses. Med 4: (yes, i am unable to avoid all mistakes) errors of judgement depend on will - it is possible to never make a mistake if you reign in your will to jump to conclusions. Epistemology - branch of philosophy that studies knowledge. There are souls and they are immaterial, but they do exist (comparable to the mind) Objects must have everything that i clearly and distinctly understand them to have, but they may not appear as i perceive them - in this way i can be certain they exist. Descartes cannot prove the existence of material objects without having established that. Premise 1: i have clear and distinct perceptions of material objects. Premise 2: if there were no material objects, god would be a deceiver (contradiction).
