Truth and Descartes Essay

Submitted By mbati1993
Words: 714
Pages: 3
Open Document
Descartes is very personal in his discussion of truth and error. He is certain that he is a thinking thing and he clearly distinctly perceives this fact. Descartes mention about this on paragraph 2 of “Descartes: Forth Meditation: Of Truth and Error”, stating that it’s certainly a thinking thing, and not extended in length, breadth, and depth. Moreover, Descartes mentions distinctness and clearness along with his existence depends entirely on him in each moment of his life. I agree with Descartes because he establishes a point and if used properly will help find the truth. He is a true thinker and feels he has definitely proved of truth and error.
They say that the Truth and Error is structured simply to avoid error and arrive at the truth. Descartes mentions how God has given him of discerning the true from the false in not infinite in me. Also, he concentrates on how God has given him qualities and understanding on the truth from the false. He understands how to use his mind’s existence to understand the truth from the false. He concludes that he can also avoid error completely by suspending judgment in cases where he is uncertain and only passing judgments on clear and distinct perceptions. Judgments on ideas cannot be a source of error but knowledge and understanding. One might not be aware of the source of error, therefore makes mistakes. For example, a car racer was pretty sure he was going to win the race, but how sure can he be? Or a student in a basketball game thought the game will end with a victory in our team but the opponent shot the last point and won. The will is responsible for asserting and rejecting, and it is in the will that value and possibility to error themselves.

Descartes explains that in order to determine the truth of an idea, we must determine to what degree the idea resembles to reality. Human weakness to error is caused by the fact that we, as human beings, do not have an unlimited ability to recognize the truth, and by the fact that we are free to choose either truth or untruth. In paragraph 9, he states that he himself has examined closely, and considering what his errors are which bear witness to the existence of flaws in me. With this in mind, Descartes knows himself to be capable of error; therefore, he examined his own abilities. Some people cannot say if God exists or not but Descartes explains and gives explanation of the existence of God. He explains how God as Infinite being and cannot occur in the finite mind of a human being unless God really existed. Nevertheless, I agree that the reason we
Show More

Related Documents: Truth and Descartes Essay

Descartes And Hume Similarities

justification of truth, and the rationality of belief. Many philosophers have followed and based their beliefs off of it, such as, Descartes, Hume, and Kant. Descartes was the first modern philosopher whose focus was on determining truth and knowledge. Descartes relied upon reasoning to determine truth and believed our senses cause flaws in our thinking of what's true. He believed that their are essentially two types of truths; a priori which is certain, unchanging, universal truth and a posteriori…

Words 719 - Pages 3

Descartes 'Skepticism In Sextus Empiricus'

However, in Meditation I, he takes on a skeptical view on the basis that the senses have deceived him on some occasions. Thus, Descartes conjectures that we cannot be certain of knowledge that is based upon the testimony of our…

Words 1920 - Pages 8

Descartes v Hume Essay

that truth can be derived through use of reason alone. Empiricism, a rival theory, asserts that truth must be established by sensual experience: touch, taste, smell, et al. Rene Descartes, a philosopher and rationalist concluded that one self was merely a continuous awareness of one’s own existence; one’s substance was one’s ability to think. On the other…

Words 1531 - Pages 7

Essay about The Meditations of René Descartes: Never Believe What You See – I Don’t Mind If I Do

Within Meditations on First Philosophy (1641), René Descartes undertakes the project of developing a new belief system regarding his existence. Descartes begins this project by demolishing his former belief system. Having his trust in the senses eliminated through a process of methodical doubt, Descartes attempts to establish a sound platform, upon which he will build an indubitable foundation for all knowledge. Upon evaluation of the first two meditations, three conditions for establishing this…

Words 2052 - Pages 9

Could All Reality Be A Dream Essay

Could all reality be a dream? Discuss, with reference to Descartes' Meditations and the film, 'The Truman Show'. In order to truly understand the world that surrounds us we must not only analyse it but begin to question it. Among some of the biggest philosophical questions would be the unknown truth behind our existence and whether or not our reality is truth or merely an illusion or dream state within or produced by our mind. Socrates states that an unexamined life 'is not worth living', essentially…

Words 1693 - Pages 7

Aristotle Vs Kant

that other senses have deceived Descartes knew that having knowledge and thinking meant that he exist. Knowing that he was being deceived, Descartes was thinking meaning he exists. Descartes argument of existing is based off the concept of thinking, or thinking one is being deceived. If one is thinking and their mind is working then even if they are being deceived they still exist simply for the fact they know what is happening. In a pragmatism view point Descartes case would not be a valid argument…

Words 1293 - Pages 6

Paper 2

Haley Berlett The Method of Doubt The method of doubt was created by Descartes to find out what was absolutely true, and what he could prove with certainty. According to Lex Newman, the author of "Descartes Epistemology", published in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, he brings in a quote of Descartes' which explains why his method of doubt works cooperatively with foundationalism. "Throughout my writings I have made it clear that my method imitates that of the architect. When an architect…

Words 977 - Pages 4

Descartes Proof Of God

Section I: Cartesian Proofs of God Descartes posits two distinct but related proofs of God’s existence. The first is commonly known as the ontological argument, the simplest version of which would more or less boil down to: (major premise) We have an idea of God, (minor premise) our idea of God includes His necessary and eternal existence, (conclusion) therefore God does exist, necessarily and eternally (Principles of Philosophy Part I, 14). The second argument Descartes posits is a bit more complicated…

Words 1002 - Pages 5

The Matrix Vs Descartes

Plato and Descartes. What are some similarities and differences? The biggest comparison in The Matrix, Plato's cave analogy, and Descartes' thoughts is that each question whether the truth experienced through the senses is to be substantial and objective, or in the event that it is a fantasy. The Matrix is the account of a computer created "reality" ("Synopsis: The Matrix," n.d.), Plato's cave analogy asks whether what is thought to be reality could only be shadows (Plato, n.d.), and Descartes (1641)…

Words 974 - Pages 4

Cartesian's Foundation On Metaphysics And Epistemological Thinking

not rely on the uncertainty in science since their beliefs of God were powerful. Their religious beliefs were that God was the ultimate authority on what was true, false or contradicting the truth. Human intelligence went only as far as to what God chose to reveal regarding his and human existence. Descartes examined the Cartesian method and claimed that knowledge…

Words 1368 - Pages 6