An Outline of Descartes's Meditations on First Philosophy Descartes’ Arguments for Universal Doubt and the "Cogito" Argument (An Outline of Meditations 1,2)

The argument for universal doubt: The dream argument: I often have perceptions very much like the ones I usually have in sensation while I am dreaming.

There are no definite signs to distinguish dream experience from waking experience. therefore

It is possible that I am dreaming right now and that all of my perceptions are false

The deceiving God argument: We believe that there is an all powerful God who has created us and who is all powerful.

He has in his power to make us be deceived even about matters of mathematical knowledge which we seem to see clearly. Therefore:

It is possible that we are deceived even in our mathematical knowledge of the basic structure of the world.

Objections to the deceiving God argument: We think that God is perfectly good and would not deceive us.

Some think that there does not exist such a powerful God.

The demon argument: Instead of assuming that God is the source of our deceptions, we will assume that there exists an evil demon, who is capable of deceiving us in the same way we supposed God to be able

Therefore, I have reason to doubt the totality of what my senses tell me as well as the mathematical knowledge that it seems I have.

The Argument for our Existence (the "Cogito"): Even if we assume that there is a deceiver, from the very fact that I am deceived it follows that I exist.

In general it will follow from any state of thinking (e. g In general it will follow from any state of thinking (e.g., imagining, sensing, feeling, reasoning) that I exist. While I can be deceived about the objective content of any thought, I cannot be deceived about the fact that I exist and that I seem to perceive objects with certain characteristics.

Since I only can be certain of the existence of myself insofar as I am thinking, I have knowledge of my existence only as a thinking thing (res cogitans). I THINK, THEREFORE, I AM Cogito Ergo sum

The Argument God Exists In my mind I have a clear idea of a perfect entity (God) and this idea has objective reality

The idea of God could not have originated in me, since I am a finite substance The idea of a perfect God could not have come from me as I am imperfect Therefore:

The idea of God must have originated from that perfect Entity itself ( ie, from God)

Therefore: God Exists

“The Mind-Body Problem” It is possible that all knowledge of external objects, including my body, could be false if I am being tricked by an evil demon However, I cannot be deceived about my existence or my nature as a thinking thing( because I know that I exist)

Yet a Perfect God would not deceive us Therefore: Therefore, what we perceive with our Reason is Reality

Outer Reality is different than the reality of thought Thought– MIND Extension– MATTER Both of these originate from God because only God exists independently from anything else

All Knowledge of External Reality is in the Mind Wax example: All the properties of wax that we perceive with the senses change as the wax melts Yet the Wax remains “Wax” even though it looks, feels and smells different We know that it is Wax through our mind, not through our senses

The mind is superior to the body Human Beings have the capacity to rise above bodily needs and behave RATIONALLY