PHIL 2010H Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Cogito Ergo Sum, Cartesian Doubt
2 May 2017
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Document Summary
According to descartes, our knowledge is like a rickety building--- we need to tear it down and start all over. Meanwhile, we need to make decisions on a day to day basis (in the metaphor, this relates to finding somewhere else to stay). An algorithm is a procedure that is guaranteed yield a solution to a given problem in a. A heuristic is a procedure that is likely to yield a solution to a given problem in a finite finite number of steps, if a solution exists. number of steps, if a solution exists. Maxims for action: obey local laws and customs, including religious customs, stick to decisions, once made, focus on changing what is under your control; accept what is not, choose the most suitable occupation. Step one: the senses are sometimes deceptive. So all beliefs arrived at through the senses can be doubted. So all beliefs arrived at by reasoning can also be doubted.
