Philosophy 1020 Lecture : Descartes Notes.docx

• School: Western University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: Philosophy 1020
• Professor: John Thorp

Document Summary

Much of what i know is based on memory: memory is often false, so i should not trust any knowledge based on memory, memory cannot be certain and should not be trusted in knowledge b) sense perception, lots of sensory illusions, there are dreams, there is madness, delusional people, those who suffer from illusions. All sensory knowledge of the material (corporeal) world should be doubted c) mathematics: mathematical knowledge (e. g. 2+3=5, but maybe god, who is omnipotent, is deceiving me of those that i believe are absolutely certain d) postulation of the evil genius, but that is impossible since a good god would not be a deceiver, perhaps there is a malicious demon of the utmost power and cunning that employs all his energy and skill to deceive me in everything, the supposition of the malicious demon (aka evil genius , fr.