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Methods and Meditations on First Philosophy is a discourse by Rene Descartes, which primarily delves into the concepts of humanity and divinity. This essay examines Descartes' work, offering a summary, explanation, and critique of its different aspects. The focal point is Descartes Sixth Meditation, where he argues for the existence of corporeal things.
1. The passive faculty of sensing clearly exists and I use it involuntarily.
If I have a passive faculty of sensing and I utilize it, then there must be an active faculty of generating sense ideas, either within myself or in something external.
As a result, there is a potential capacity to generate ideas of meaning that exists either within myself or within something else.
God has blessed me with a strong inclination to believe that corporeal things have the ability to produce sense ideas.
5. It is concluded that if the ability to create sensory perceptions does not exist in physical objects, then God must be deceitful.
God is truthful and does not deceive.
7. This means that corporeal things have the ability to generate sense ideas.
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8. If the ability to create sense perceptions lies in physical objects, then physical objects must exist.
The ability to generate sensory perceptions is present in physical objects.
10. This is why corporeal things exist, demonstrating Descartes' reliance on epistemological foundationalism.
Richard Feldman's Arguments
To fully comprehend the reflection of Descartes' argument, it is essential to define epistemological foundationalism. According to Epistemology, Richard Feldman, foundationalism is the concept that "The argument is sound. There are basic justified beliefs, and they are the foundation upon which all our other justified beliefs rest" (Feldman 51).
Feldman (52) continues to argue that the justification of nonbasic beliefs is derived from their relationship with basic beliefs.
In other words, the validity of nonbasic beliefs relies on the truthfulness of basic beliefs, forming the basis for constructing logical arguments through a foundationalist approach. Consequently, the credibility of nonbasic beliefs in argumentation depends on the accuracy of their underlying basic beliefs.
According to Feldman, Descartes demonstrates foundationalism in his meditations by establishing arguments on basic justified beliefs. This foundation allows him to develop nonbasic justified beliefs and build a structure of beliefs rooted in his foundational principles.
Descartes' argument for beliefs about corporeal things is based on foundational justified beliefs, specifically the belief in God's existence. Without this belief, Descartes would find it difficult to justify his beliefs about physical objects. The premises related to God in his argument are all nonbasic justified beliefs, relying on the fundamental belief in God's existence. Descartes' confidence in the existence of God is supported by a standalone argument that is not influenced by other beliefs.
Descartes views God's existence as a crucially justified belief, serving as the foundation for many of his other beliefs. His arguments for the existence of physical objects rely on this foundational belief in God. According to Descartes' premise four, in order for God to offer any kind of inclination, His existence must first be justified.
Descartes uses his argument for the existence of God to justify his nonbasic beliefs, demonstrating foundationalism. All beliefs he uses are justified through their relation to his basic belief in God's existence, including his premise that God is not a deceiver.
Descartes believed that in order to justify his argument, he must adhere to specific criteria for what can be considered a basic justified belief. His goal in the meditations was to start fresh and identify only things that are certain. Descartes' method mandated that he only acknowledge things as true if they are certain.
According to Feldman's interpretation, Descartes's method can be classified as foundationalism. Descartes aimed to identify fundamental, clear, distinct, and justified beliefs before expanding upon them. A belief deemed basic by Descartes must be independent of any other beliefs.
Within foundationalism, beliefs are justified through deduction based on self-evident, provable truths. Descartes' meditations rely on the basic premise that he exists as a thinking thing. This belief serves as the foundational starting point for his argument. Descartes also posits the existence of a passive faculty of sensing, which he uses involuntarily.
Descartes questions how a belief can be justified and argues that if there is a passive faculty of sensing, then there must also be an active faculty producing sense ideas. He justifies this belief by pointing out the differences between imagination and understanding, where understanding surpasses imagination and imagination relies on extended bodies.
Descartes argues that there are two faculties of sense ideas: a passive faculty for perceiving sense ideas and an active faculty for producing them. However, a problem arises with Descartes' foundationalism. If a belief that supports other beliefs is not clearly justified, then none of the beliefs can be considered true.
Questioning a single belief can raise doubts about the validity of the entire argument and any other justified beliefs that are derived from it. Despite an argument seeming strong and well-supported, closer examination may uncover weaknesses that undermine its credibility. When there is uncertainty surrounding a crucial premise, it can bring into doubt the overall strength of the argument. In Descartes' situation, his fourth premise is based solely on a perceived inclination believed to be from God, whose existence is taken for granted.
Descartes believes that the ability to sense ideas comes from corporeal things. He acknowledges his natural inclination towards this belief, but also attributes it to God. This raises questions about the foundation of his premise, as he reasons that God is the source of this inclination. Descartes acknowledges that he does not have a faculty for recognizing this source, but instead has a strong tendency to believe that sense ideas are produced by corporeal things.
Descartes justifies the existence of the active faculty in corporeal things. He acknowledges the human tendency to believe in this faculty but questions if it could have originated from sources other than God, a notion he may have considered irrational at the time.
Today, it is easier to envision the possibility of achieving this through advanced technology or some form of mental manipulation. The concept of advanced technology providing humans with the ability to generate sensory perceptions can be seen in "The Matrix". The film depicts a scenario where superior technology manipulates humanity's perception, making them believe that physical objects are real when they are actually just illusions projected into their minds.
Descartes posits that the inclination to believe is a gift from God, which presupposes God's existence. Despite Descartes' proof of God's existence, one can still challenge it. If this argument is contested, it casts doubt on Descartes' assertion about the reality of physical objects. The discussion about God's existence is not crucial for my objection, as I have already raised skepticism about the premise regardless of God's existence.
Descartes may face challenges to his foundationalist argument when considering the idea that God may not be the only source of our thoughts and existence in the material world. These doubts could raise questions about the validity of Descartes' beliefs. However, Descartes might argue that the act of thinking itself proves our existence, even if we are unsure of the true nature of reality. This concept is similar to the dilemma posed by dreams - even if our experiences are not directly from God, our ability to reason and perceive implies some form of reality in which we exist. This suggests that there may be a reality beyond what we perceive, possibly resembling a "matrix" or an alternative form of existence.
Given that we recognize the "matrix" as not reality, it indicates the existence of an alternative reality, posing a challenge in grasping the true nature of reality. This possibility would suggest a shift in Renee Descartes' beliefs, undermining the validity of his previously held truths. This shift not only threatens his foundational premise, but also undermines his argument for the existence of corporeal things. The inability to substantiate once believed truths would make it more challenging for Descartes to establish the existence of corporeal entities.
In my opinion, without this premise, the entire argument loses its validity as it relies on God as the source of our belief in the existence of physical things. If this foundational belief is no longer justified, it would impact Descartes' nonbasic justified beliefs, leading to a cascade effect that dejustifies beliefs built upon them.
Descartes' Argument on Corporeal Things: A Critique. (2016, Nov 05). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/descartes-argument-for-the-existence-of-corporeal-things-essay
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