Descartes' response to his own sceptical doubt

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  • Descartes' Response to his own Sceptical Doubt
    • The Cogito
      • It goes too far in assuming that there is an "I". All that can be said is a thought is thunk
      • "I think" is the indubital proposition which he puts forward
    • Clear and Distinct Ideas
      • An idea which is present and accesible to an attentive mind and seperated off from other ideas so that each part of it can be understood clearly.
      • We know the wax and cogito clearly & distinctly purely through rational thought and reflection
        • SO are clear & distinct ideas self evident? No, although we know the wax remains intuitivily its still possible to be doubted using the malicious demon argument
      • What makes ideas clear & distinct is God
        • God is benevolent and therefore wouldn't be cruel as to deceive us about knowledge we intuitively know
        • Criticism
          • The Cartesian Circle (circularism): Descartes argues the existence of God using the clear & distinct perception doctrine
    • Arguments for the existence of God
      • The Trademark Argument
        • Descartes' argument for the claims that the concept of God is innate and that this provides an a priori reason to conclude that God exists.
          • We're finite and can only think of ideas which have as much reality than my mind does. The concept of God has more reality than my mind. Therefore my mind couldn't of created it, so only possible cause is God, I have the concept of God - God causes the concept therefore God exists.
        • Criticism:
          • Empiricists will reject this as it claims God is innate and we can prove Gods existence through rational intuition and deduction.
          • Hume rejects the idea that God can be created in our minds.
  • Critiscms:
    • Thinking implies Existance- so if I stop thinking, do I cease to exist. When im sleeping i'm not thinking- I dont always dream- do I cease to exist?

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