PHL 201 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2.1: Thought Experiment, Other Minds, Solipsism
Document Summary
Descarte thought the human mind can"t compare to robotic machines. Only clocks and waterwheels were there during his time. Mind is an immaterial thing; the soul. Descarte is dualistic because people = mental and material. Material things are mass, momentum, space, etc. Our minds would still exist past death. God exists because we can"t state otherwise. Tried to find non mathematical propositions to reject. Examined each of his beliefs by their concepts. We can"t determine that experience represents the world. We can"t say we aren"t dreaming because we aren"t certain ourselves. We can"t say that experience is a source of knowledge. Thought experiment: there"s a being like god that brings everything. No one can state there"s no demon existing so descarte can"t know if his beliefs are correct. Once we understand the human brain we can give our experiences to others. Foundation for knowledge on the outside world. We can"t be here without a body.
