1. Descartes 1596 - 1650 Historical Context Epistemology vs. Metaphysics Subjective vs. Objective Arguments - Dreaming - Evil Demon - Cogito - The Wax Substance Dualism The Mind/Body Problem The Body Problem

2. Descartes 1596 - 1650 Philosophy as Science The I Language

3. Metaphysics? Or Epistemology?

4. Subjective vs. Objective

5. The Arguments Everyday Mistake: Sensory Doubt Dreaming Argument: Now Dreaming Doubt Evil Demon Argument: Always Dreaming Doubt

6. Dreaming Argument P1: I often have perceptions while I am dreaming which are very much like the [sensory] ones I have while awake. P2: These perceptions I have while dreaming are false. P3: I can be wrong (even though it seems as though I am certain) about my perceptions while dreaming. P4: There are no definite signs to distinguish dream experience from waking experience. P5: I can be wrong (even though it seems as though I am certain) about my perceptions while awake. C: It is possible that I am dreaming right now and that my perceptions are false.

7. Evil Demon Argument Urbain Grandier AsmodaiSister Jeanne of the Angels French Catholic PriestEvil DemonMother Superior: Convent of Loudun Nuns accusation & Trial: 1632 Descartes’ Meditations: 1641 Latin Translation; 1647 French Translation

8. Pact with the Devil

9. The Cogito If I am thinking then I necessarily exist.

10. Wax Primary vs. Secondary Qualities Necessary/Contingent

11. Mind/Body Primary Qualities Necessary Mind: ThoughtBody: Extension Dualism Substance (Cartesian) Dualism: two ultimate and irreducible kinds of reality

12. Mind/Body Problem How to connect the subjective mental to the objective physical How does one causally interact the other?

13. Pineal Gland Interactionist: mind/body causally act on each other via pineal gland

15. The Body Problem What does it mean to be physical? Descartes: physical matter “that which has extension in space” Electrons: point-particles with no extension (lacking a determinate spatial position) Category of physical: rocks, trees, subatomic particles: quarks, gluons, leptons, dark matter Category of non-physical: mental, beliefs, desires

16. Ghosts 1. They can pass through walls without disturbing the wall. Neutrinos: can pass through matter without disturbing it. 2. They have no mass. Photons have no [rest] mass. 3. Take up no space? Point particles don’t take up space.