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The Rationalists: Descartes The Cartesian Doubt

The Rationalists: Descartes The Cartesian Doubt. Life : 1. Brilliant but not complaisant student 2. “Bene vixit qui bene latuit” 3. Dies in Sweden (Queen Christina). Descartes: Life and Works. Interests : 1. Not Aristotelian philosophy 2. New system 3. Pragmatic matters.

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The Rationalists: Descartes The Cartesian Doubt

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  1. The Rationalists: Descartes The Cartesian Doubt Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  2. Life: 1. Brilliant but not complaisant student 2. “Bene vixit qui bene latuit” 3. Dies in Sweden (Queen Christina) Descartes: Life and Works Interests: 1. Not Aristotelian philosophy 2. New system 3. Pragmatic matters Works: 1. The World – physics 2. Discourse – Meditations – Principles 3. Passions of the soul and letters to Elizabeth Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  3. The Meditations: Aim and Method Topic and Style: - Topic: Metaphysics - Style: Analytic (by contrast to synthetic) Aims: - Avowed: Proof of the existence of God and separation of the soul from the body - Ultimate: Give a definite foundation to the new science Descartes is a FOUNDATIONALIST Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  4. The Meditations: Aim and Method Method: The Rational Stance • Defense of the use of reason for religious matters • Proper method: demonstration and certainty Two enemies: • Prejudices • Senses Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  5. The Cartesian Doubt: What is it and what is it for? General Project: - General destruction of all his opinions – Why? No firm foundation - “to raze everything to the ground and begin again from the original foundations” in order to build firm science The Cartesian Doubt: • Universal • Hyperbolic • Radical • Methodological Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  6. The Cartesian Doubt: The Senses Why the senses? One of the roots of knowledge Arguments: • The traditional argument is not enough • Dream argument: no sufficient criterion to tell that we are not dreaming. Result: are doubtful (and hence taken as false): • The existence of the external world • The existence of my own body Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  7. The Cartesian Doubt: Mathematical Notions The most fundamental constituents: Anything left? Arguments: Analogy with painting Painting: Imagination / Dream Components: body parts bodies Most General: colors corporeal nature CORPOREAL NATURE: Magnitude, Extension, Duration Against Aristotle! Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  8. The Cartesian Doubt: The Evil Genius Would it be possible that I be deceived concerning math?:  Deceiving God? The case of the Atheist – even less reason to believe he or she can attain firm knowledge Conclusion – Not a single part of the entire body of knowledge seems to be indubitable Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  9. The Cartesian Doubt: Conclusion The danger of habits: doubting is not easy The power of will: focus and resolution The First Meditation is destructive: • Method of Doubt: anything doubtful is taken as false • Aim: reconstruct new foundations for knowledge • Result: no part of knowledge seems to be indubitable Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

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