StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Explain Descartes skeptical argument according to a prompt - Term Paper Example

Cite this document
Summary
He developed two main sceptical arguments to support his argument, the dream doubt argument and the evil demon argument.
The dream…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96.6% of users find it useful
Explain Descartes skeptical argument according to a prompt
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Explain Descartes skeptical argument according to a prompt"

Download file to see previous pages

This lack of insight forms the basis of the argument as the mediator notices that there are certain instances when he is convinced he is awake and surrounded by real objects but he is in fact sleeping and dreaming. Descartes takes the lack of insight to be an outcome of sense perception and dreams being composed of the same content. This can be noted when the mediator argues that he is awake since everything is clear and distinct then he backtracks and reminds himself that the dreamscape can be deceiving as it always seems as clear and distinct during that moment in time (Descartes 33).

The dream argument however accepts that although the present sensations and perceptions could be from a dream, they are however drawn from experiences when awake. The mediator compares this to a painter who creates a fantasy image of a mermaid, which at its basic level is composed of composite parts present in the real world, that is, a woman and a fish. Thus the final important aspect of the dream argument as noted by the mediator is that although he cannot trust composite things, he has to trust the simple and universal parts that make a whole such as size, quantity, shape and time (Descartes 34).

This means that studies based on basic things such as geometry and arithmetic are trustworthy while those based on composite items such as medicine and astrology cannot be trusted. From the dream argument we can delineate two important facts. First is that dreams have an inexhaustible ability to mimic the real world and secondly, whether dreaming or awake, the clearest thoughts of intellect remain uncompromised. While Descartes dream argument may have been valid in the 21st century, the current conditions make its applicability suspect.

Scientists have developed a sensory module that detects when our sense impressions are caused by objects and how accurately those impressions are.

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Explain Descartes skeptical argument according to a prompt Term Paper”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1630528-explain-descartes-skeptical-argument-according-to-a-prompt
(Explain Descartes Skeptical Argument According to a Prompt Term Paper)
https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1630528-explain-descartes-skeptical-argument-according-to-a-prompt.
“Explain Descartes Skeptical Argument According to a Prompt Term Paper”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1630528-explain-descartes-skeptical-argument-according-to-a-prompt.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Explain Descartes skeptical argument according to a prompt

Common Arguments of Climate Skeptics against Human-Induced Global Warming

hellip; according to Geoffrey and Clark (2001), the increased attention that has been drawn to climate change and global warming is attributed to the glaring effects or impact that have continued to come to light over the past years with an indication that these effects are bound to become widespread and even worse with time.... Common human-induced causes of global warming according to Ruddiman et al.... In the third section, the essay will present common arguments of climate change skeptics against human-induced global and thereafter, a counter argument to refute the claims by the skeptics....
11 Pages (2750 words) Essay

The Fifth Replies of Descartes

The argument in question is the argument of Discourse.... The problem with this counter argument is the inherent bias.... The Fifth Replies of Descartes The argument in question is the argument of Discourse.... The problem with this counter argument is the inherent bias.... … In the Fifth Replies, descartes writes, “I am surprised that you should say here .... descartes seems to be insisting, contrary to his objectors, that the cogito conclusion, “I exist,” is inseparable from an understanding of the nature of self or mind as a thinking substance....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Explain Descartess concept of Hyperbolic doubt

On his way of… In which case, the concept requires one to seek out for only the things that lies beyond doubt; an intuition which makes the mental process of descartes's concept of Hyperbolic doubt Descarte's need to address issues via his technique of doubt rendered him to thisindomitable strategy of “hyperbolic doubt”, whereby he set a basis for considering false any belief that is a victim to any slightest doubt (Nicholas and Schindler, 172).... While the tripartite definition holds that knowledge is a kind of belief which should be taken as the truth, descartes's concept of Hyperbolic doubt asserts that it should be all about knowing how and not blatantly believing....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Descartes Method of Doubt

His Method of doubt remained to be one of his fundamental ideas in the field of philosophy and all Descartes concepts were based on this particular explain descartes Method of doubt; what does he hope to accomplish from this method; is Descartes a skeptic?... However, Descartes himself did not regard his concepts as skeptical ones and claimed that he “had refuted skepticism” (Watson, 232).... Although, his ideas were viewed as rather skeptical, they were serious and momentous due to the philosophical perspectives....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

How Human Body and Human Mind Interact

This is because for Descartes, existence is a pre-condition of doubting; according to Descartes, one should exist before doubting.... In his argument of the senses, Rene Descartes argued that senses should not be trusted as true sources of knowledge because they deceive as in many instances.... In the dream argument, however, Rene Descartes argued that all knowledge derived from sense can be doubted Philosophy 29th May, Rene Descartes' Arguments In his argument of the senses, Rene Descartes argued that senses should not be trusted as true sources of knowledge because they deceive as in many instances....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Three Main Arguments in the First Meditation of Descartes

n the second argument, the issue centers on uncertainty.... he third argument leads to the existence of a non-deceiving god.... The basic part of the argument centers on the kind of being he exists as.... The researcher of the paper "Three Main Arguments in the First Meditation of descartes" aims to analyze the main arguments of the beforementioned work and how they are related to each other and to the work as a whole.... The apples here refer to descartes' beliefs, which he dumps altogether....
8 Pages (2000 words) Assignment

Bouwsmas Argument in Descartes Evil Genius

It is on this ground that Bouwsma decides to investigate the nature of Descartes' demon who, according to him, takes on the constant interest of generating illusions the demon boasts off as difficult to contradict.... The paper "Bouwsma's argument in Descartes Evil Genius" describes that being one with Tom and his senses implies converging to the truth materialized by these senses so the deceiver settles at no other possible saving choice than comprehend the meaninglessness of the illusions he has built....
6 Pages (1500 words) Literature review

Descartes' Argument from Illusion

As the paper "Descartes' argument from Illusion" outlines, Descartes argued that real knowledge rested in the mind and not in the senses.... The main argument is on the basis that dreams and reality are very similar.... There is the argument that many times human senses deceive them, and, in fact, those things that they may believe to recognize may be false.... Descartes' argument has much emphasis when we connect it to many human experiences....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us