PHIL110A Study Guide - Final Guide: Tabula Rasa, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Transcendental Philosophy
3 Sep 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Rene descartes (born in 1596 in france) was inspired to be a philosopher in 1619 when he had three dreams and then wrote his meditations where he adjudicates opinions that are doubtful against opinions that are certain. He wrote le monde ( the world ) in 1633 which he didn"t publish as it defended the controversial cosmology view of copernicus (the sun was at the centre of the solar system). In 1641 he published his text meditations on first philosophy which is an exercise in philosophical reflections. It is written in first person and we are invited to identify with it, making it a type of fictionalization. Descartes uses the method of doubt in his texts as he adopts skepticism (withholding belief). He isn"t proving any beliefs are wrong, but is choosing to not belief in them in order to find out which beliefs he has are certain.
