REASON- The Cogito

Question 1

What does Descartes say in the mediations

Answer 1

“I think, therefore I am”

Question 2

What is a deductive argument

Answer 2

A method of deriving true propositions from other true propositions

Question 3

How is the cogito presented as a deduction

Answer 3

P1) I am thinking
P2) (hidden premise) all thinking things exist
C) therefore I exist

Question 4

Descartes denies that the cogito is a deduction- what does he say it is

Answer 4

‘A simple intuition of his mind shows it to him as self-evident’.
In the meditations Descartes needs to propose the cogito as a simple intuition (instead of a longer argument) as he still is working under the assumption that a demon may be deceiving him, and this could affect the validity of his memory (which is requires in a longer argument)

Question 5

What is a transcendental argument

Answer 5

Attempts to ‘transcend’ doubt. They work by arguing that a certain feature (existence) is a pre-condition for doubt to exist as in order to doubt your existence, you need to exist in order to doubt. This seems like a plausible approach, but again might be too complex to count as a single intuition, which Descartes may need to overcome the demon challenges

Question 6

Is the cogito a self-verifying thought

Answer 6

Descartes emphasised the temporary nature of the cogito as it suggests that the truth of the cogito is revealed in the very act of performing it.
The thought that ‘I do not exist’ is a self-defeating in its performances. ‘I am, I exist’ is self-verifying as asserting the opposite is self- defeating

Question 7

What is the I that is thinking in the cogito

Answer 7

If Descartes states that we can only be sure that we exist when we are thinking it, how can we be sure that every time we think that ‘I am, I exist’ that it’s not a different person thinking it.
Perhaps there is no I at all, just floating thoughts.
It is not clear that the cogito has produced any knowledge in regard of the nature or even existence of the ‘I’ that is thinking

Question 8

Is the cogito a priori knowledge produced via intuition?

Answer 8

Seems to be knowledge produced by reason alone although Descartes presents it as an induction . However, if you take the idea that the cogito is a self- justifying thought, then it can be known independently of experience, so is a priori