Philosophy 1130F/G : Descartes Handout.pdf
15 Apr 2012
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Key aspects: skepticism, method of doubt, the argument from illusion, the dream argument, the evil demon hypothesis, foundationalism in epistemology. The cogito and certainty: clear and distinct ideas, the ball of wax, the cosmological argument, the ontological argument. Questions for critical reflection: skepticism and the method of doubt. He surely puts most of his beliefs through the skeptical grinder. But his project is to scrutinize all his beliefs in this manner. Causal laws: descartes seems to place laws of nature (at least laws of causation) in the same camp as the cogito: being indubitable. Descartes" metaphor is that we should build the edifice of knowledge on a firm and unshakable foundation. When revising our belief system we should see ourselves as sailors at sea. It is not possible to take the whole boat apart (as descartes suggests) and rebuild anew, since we would all drown.
