the intuition and deduction thesis

Question 1

define intuition

Answer 1

the ability to know something is true just by thinking about it eg. Descartes’ cogito argument

Question 2

define deduction

Answer 2

a method of deriving true propositions from other true propostions by using reason

Question 3

distinction between intuition and deduction

Question 4

René Descartes’ notion of ‘clear and distinct ideas’

Answer 4

clear ideas - those that a focused mind can recognise without confusion or ambuguity eg. idea of a triangle as a three-sided shape. distinct ideas - ideas that are clear and sharply separated from all other ideas, with no ambuguity or overlap eg. idea of triangle as three sided is distinct from idea of sqaure as four sided

Question 5

cogito as an eg of a priori intuition

Question 6

ontological argument for existence of god

Answer 6

i have the idea of God, the idea of God is the idea of a supremely perfect being, a supremely perfect being does not lack any perfection, existence is a perfection, therefore God exists

Question 7

the external world as eg of a priori deductions

Answer 7

i have perceptions of an external world with physical objects. my perceptions cannot be caused by my own mind because they are involuntary. so the cause of my perceptions must be something external to my mind. god exists. if the cause of my perceptions is God and not the physical objects themselves, then God has created me with a tendency to form false beliefs from my perception. but God is a perfect being by definition

Question 8

response to cogito

Question 9

response to argument for the existence of God

Question 10

Hume’s fork response

Question 11

issues with the response to cogito

Question 12

issues with the response to argument for the existence of God

Question 13

issues with Hume’s fork response

Question 14

cosmological argument for existence of god

Answer 14

three options for cause of my existence: myself, cannot be true as i wouldn’t have given myself any imperfections. i have always existed - this can’t be true because if it were i would be aware of that. my parents or some other mortal being - can’t be true as my parents don’t sustain my existence and would cause infinite regress if it were true. God - must be true as whatever caused me must be cause of its own existence

Question 15

trademark argument for existence of god

Answer 15

i have the concept of god. my concept of god is the concept of something infinte and perfect. i am finite and imperfect. the cause of an effect must have at least as much reality as the effect. the cause of the concept of God must have as much reality as what the concept is about. so the cause of my idea of God must have as much reality as an infinite and perfect being. so God exists