Med 1 Essay

Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

+ Descartes introduced absolute knowledge
+ tried to defeat sceptics
+ used specific method of doubt
+ diabolical doubt

Question 2

Paragraph 1 topic

Answer 2

Explaining the method of doubt

Question 3

Paragraph 1 points:

Answer 3

+ method made Descartes doubt everything he encountered
+ anything that was undoubtably was true
+ could end up in solipsism
+ laborious, lead to less motivation

Question 4

Paragraph 1 quote:

Answer 4

“Reason now leads me to think that I should hold back my assent from opinions which are not completely certain and indubitable”

Question 5

Your stance on paragraph 1?

Answer 5

Find method of doubt effective

• plays sceptics at their own game
• suitably detailed

Question 6

Paragraph 2 topic

Answer 6

Evaluation of the senses

Question 7

Paragraph 2 points:

Answer 7

+ Descartes questions the reliability of his senses in providing information
+ decides he cannot trust them
+ eliminates ‘a posteriori’ knowledge
+ closer to absolute knowledge (less to sift through) but also further away as harder to determine what to believe

Question 8

Paragraph 2 quotes:

Answer 8

“But from time to time I have found that the senses deceive, and it is unwise to trust completely those who have deceived us even once.”

“Towers that ha seemed round from afar occasionally appeared square at close quarters” - med 6

Question 9

Paragraph 3 topic

Answer 9

Discussion of senses argument

Question 10

Paragraph 3 points of evaluation:

Answer 10

• may be erroneous to rule out senses. Could be that only Descartes has unreliable senses and is, therefore, not making his theory universal
• still accepts some sensory information (vocabulary…)
  + definition doesn’t matter, theory does

Question 11

Your stance on paragraph 3?

Answer 11

I believe Descartes’s decision to rule out sensory experience is effective

• continues to play sceptics at their own game with rationalism
• will make truths objective
• rigorous

Question 12

Paragraph 4 topic

Answer 12

The dream argument

Question 13

Paragraph 4 points:

Answer 13

+ presents dream argument: could be dreaming when he perceives to be awake
+ If any knowledge is true, regardless of dream, it is objective
+ two truths: mathematical certainties and existence of an outside world
+ first step towards absolute knowledge, found immutable truths

Question 14

Paragraph 4 quote:

Answer 14

“As I think about this more carefully, I see plainly that there are never any sure signs by means of which being awake can be distinguished from being asleep.”

Question 15

Paragraph 5 topic

Answer 15

Discussion of the dream argument

Question 16

Paragraph 5 points:

Answer 16

• Descartes says there is no way to tell if you are dreaming or awake
  + how would you know you had been dreaming?
  + dreams are fantastical, life is not

Question 17

Your stance on paragraph 5?

Answer 17

I agree with the criticisms, but find them irrelevant in his overall quest

• two truths are all that matter
• if you can’t tell, reality may be a combination of dreaming and being awake - meaning it doesn’t matter

Question 18

Paragraph 6 topic

Answer 18

The deceiving god argument

Question 19

Paragraph 6 points:

Answer 19

+ deceiving god: all powerful god that deceive humanity whenever possible
+ removes possibility of a priori knowledge
+ introduces him to diabolical doubt, can’t know anything if he is being deceived
+ Descartes abandons it due to Christian beliefs
+ reduces the reliability of his entire argument as he is insincere

Question 20

Paragraph 6 quote:

Answer 20

“How do I know that God has not brought it about that’s I too go wrong every time I add two and three or count the sides of a square”

Question 21

Paragraph 7 topic

Answer 21

The malicious demon argument

Question 22

Paragraph 7 points:

Answer 22

+ malicious demon: same as deciding god, but go dis replaced with an evil demon
+ allows him to continue quest, without defying Christian upbringing
+ leads him to a final position of diabolical doubt, as he can seemingly know nothing

Question 23

Paragraph 7 quote:

Answer 23

“I will suppose therefore that not God, who is supreme,y good and the source of truth, but rather some malicious demon of the utmost power and cunning has employed all his energies in order to deceive me.”

Question 24

Paragraph 8 topic

Answer 24

Discussion of malicious demon argument

Question 25

Paragraph 8 points:

Answer 25

• if the demon is always deceiving us, we know no other reality and can accept truths in this one
  + Descartes may have claimed that was irrelevant, as the fact that he used his rationality to get to this point is what mattered

Question 26

Your stance on paragraph 8?

Answer 26

I agree with criticism, but also accepts Descartes point

• malicious demon argument itself serves no real purpose, as it is irrelevant if we are being constantly deceived
• used his rationality, meaning if anything survives the demons argument - it is undoubtedly true.

Question 27

Conclusion:

Answer 27

+ arguments are in successful in obtaining absolute knowledge
+ leads to diabolical doubt
+ could abandon quest here or find something to escape diabolical doubt, which would be immutably true
+ close to defeat at the hands of the sceptics