EPISTEMOLOGY (THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE)

➢ RENE DESCARTES (1596-1650)

○ Paris, France

○ “Father of Modern Philosophy”

○ Studied at “La Fleche”

■ Mathematics (i.e. Geometry)

● A. “Intuition” & “Deduction” (p.94)

● B. “Clear & Distinct”

➢ DESCARTES’ EPISTEMOLOGY

○ “The Meditations”
■ “Total Demolition & Reconstruction of human knowledge according
to Reason.”
■ “System builder of knowledge.”

➢ “I think therefore I am” (Cogito ergo Sum)

○ Clear & distinct Independent Existence

○ “Foundation Principle”

○ Method of doubt: “Skepticism” (p. 95)

■ Use of doubt/skepticism to arrive at true knowledge.

● Senses - “Deceiving”

● Material bodies

● Natural sciences

● Mathematics - “Hypothetical Demon GOD Argument”

➢ VIABILITY OF MATHEMATICS

○ 1. Intuition

■ To accept a given principle as absolutely certain.

■ What is absolutely certain is the truth.

○ 2. Deduction

■ Arrange or organize truth principles in a chronological sequence.

■ Highest to lowest.

○ 3. Clear & Distinct

■ Precise, constant, objective & universally true.

➢ DESCARTES’ CONCEPT OF COGITO/SELF

■ 1. Test of Truth
● Establishes a criteria to make things certain.

● Goes back to the existence of the mind = “Clear & Distinct” =

certain.

■ 2. “Clear & Distinct”

● The more you doubt the more you prove the “self”

■ 3. Mathematics
● Cannot fully rely on mathematics yet.

○ Need to restore these ideas to arrive at the existence of

material bodies which have to be clear & distinct (proof

of God).

■ 4. “Solipsism”

■ 5. “Subjectivism”
 ● The view that only the mind exists, the existence of other

things are unquestionable.

■ 6. “Material Bodies”

■ 7. Thinking, ideas, free will, soul (spiritual/rational soul).

➢ DESCARTES’ EPISTEMOLOGY (pp. 103-104)

○ I. Theory of “Ideas” - image within our consciousness

■ 3 Types of Ideas

● Innate

○ Naturally born with.

● Fictitious / Factitious

○ Invented by the human mind.

● Adventitious

○ Ideas which come from “sense perception”

○ Objects from the outside world / outside mind.

■ 2 Realities

● “Formal” Reality
○ Ideas exist which are located in the mind itself.

○ Identity of the things (ideas) in our minds.

○ The idea of blue is a formal reality

● “Objective” Reality
 ○ Correspondence of ideas with actual things.

○ The idea of blue pertaining to objects (blue car) =

objective.

○ II. Theory “on causes”

■ “All ideas are the effects of the causes”

● 3 Self Evident Propositions about Causes

○ A. There must be as much reality in the cause as in the

effect.

○ B. Something cannot come from nothing

○ C. What is perfect cannot proceed from the

imperfect.

➢ DESCARTES’ RATIONALISTIC PROOFS FOR GOD

○ 1. First Proof (Doctrine of innate ideas)

■ The idea of perfection cannot come from an imperfect being.

■ It must be planted by a perfect being in our minds.

■ God is a projection of the positive qualities of the human subject.

➢ AFTERMATH OF PROVING GOD

○ 1. God is the ultimate cause of the “self.”

○ 2. On “human error” - misuse of “free will.”

○ 3. God as the basis for the ideas of mathematics & logical reasoning.

Abstract qualities of a physical object - spatial extension, figure & capacity for motion
= true nature of physical objects.

DESCARTES’ POINTS AFTER ESTABLISHING GOD EXISTS

1ST
● The reason why the “I” or self exists
is because of God’s existence.

2ND
● Error does not come from God.

● It comes from man’s finite nature;

● Misuse of free will.

● We are finite beings = we tend to

choose the false over true.

3RD
● God is the basis of our ideas of
mathematics;

● Which the mind can employ in

proving & reconstructing knowledge
of material bodies.

Mathematics = objective laws of nature.

Human beings with free will & innate rationality = makes the different from animals

Descartes’ view of reality

- “Theory of mental & physical substances”.

- Substance
- Existent entity whose existence is not dependent on any other cause for it to

exist.

- A cause in itself.

- Autonomous from any cause.

 - GOD “PERFECT SUBSTANCE - “Theory of mental & physical substances”.

- Mental Substance (MIND)

- Thinking

- Free will

- Not in space, not in motion

- Not measurable

- Physical Substance (MATTER)

- Cannot think

- Determined

- In space, motion, measurable

- Mind & matter exist independently from each other (DISTINCT).

I. Dualism

- Reality is split into 2 worlds

II. Metaphysical Dualism

- Clearer elucidation of dualism

- Abstract & physical component

III. Cartesian Psycho-Physical Dualism (The “Mind & Body dualism”)

- CARTESIAN - Descartes’ philosophy in reference to mathematics.

- We have a mind/soul (abstract) and a physical body subjected to the laws of nature.