Meditation 5 Study Q's

Question 1

What does Descartes now say that he can “distinctly imagine”? What are all of its features?

Answer 1

Quantity or continuous quantity is something that Descartes can distinctly imagine. He can distinctly imagine the extension of the quantity in length, breadth, and depth. The features are regarding shape, number, motion, and so on.

Question 2

Look up the idea of the “Cartesian Circle.” How does it relate to this and earlier Meditations? See: “Now, however, I have perceived that God exists, and at the same time I have understood that everything else depends on him, and that he is no deceiver; and I have drawn the conclusion that everything which I clearly and distinctly perceive is of necessity true.”

Answer 2

It is a circular argument: I know that what I perceive is true. How? Because God is not a deceiver. How do I know that? Because I perceive that God exists.

This relates to earlier mediations because he is trying to prove that God exists.