Br. Polycarp Hazel John Ma.

Alacapa, MMHC December 1, 2017

Modern Philosophy Fr. Anselm Ma.
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Questions and Answers on Rene Descartes’ Meditation

1. What is Descartes method of doubt? What is the point of this method?

This is Descartes search for the absolute certainty by doubting all that could be doubted and
treating temporarily as false all that could be doubted. This method of doubt is the attainment
of certainty by shifting the true from the false, the certain from the probable, the definite from
the unsure. According to my source, its main aim is to use doubt in order to defeat doubt.

2. What does Descartes mean by sound and correct judgments?

It is a thorough care not to deceive oneself in perceiving ideas. It is the method of relating ideas
to anything beyond instead of considering it as a certain mode of one’s thoughts.

3. Why does Descartes doubt the evidence from his senses?

Because he assumes that some evil genius not less powerful than deceiving is using his whole
energies to deceive him. He considers the external things around him like the shapes, colors or
sounds are just illusions which this evil genius laid as trap for him. In a simple term he was
determined to doubt everything.

4. How does Descartes conclude that he is a thinking thing, that is, a thing that thinks? What does
the term ‘thinking’ mean?

Doubt has been explored and exploited within his meditations. He concluded himself as a
thinking thing that is, a thing that thinks by discovering the existence of the “I” which is the
undoubtable – “Cogito, ergo sum.”
Thinking is the certainty of existence. A characteristic which cannot be separated from every
individual.

5. What is the point of Descartes’ wax example? What is it meant to show?

To clearly understand the distinction of the senses of the body from the perception of the mind.
He uses the wax example to conclude that we know a thing not just by means of our senses and
simple mind intuition (faculty of imagination). But a thing just as the body, is identified by our
understanding, that is, we have a knowledge about it.

Resources: - An introduction to Modern Philosophy (Examining the Human Mind) – 5th edition
By Alburey Castell & Donald M. Robert
- Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- The Oxford Book of Philosophy
- Rene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy