All Questions
Tagged with descartes skepticism
17
questions
2
votes
2
answers
58
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"i think therefore i am", revist, does criticisms really hold?
In Wikipedia the critiques don't make much sense to me
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cogito,_ergo_sum#Critique
For example, it is said that "Saul Fisher 'points out that recognition that one has ...
- 136
3
votes
1
answer
85
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René Descartes' and Wittgenstein Doubt: Self and the Existence of Others?
Can one doubt their own existence in the world while simultaneously doubting the existence of others? If one's being isn't present because they aren't present themselves, wouldn't that make it ...
6
votes
1
answer
121
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Why does Descartes derives existence from "Thinking" and not from "Consciously experiencing"?
I am reading Descartes Meditations and in the second meditation there is the following quote that is obviously central:
"But I have convinced myself that there is absolutely nothing in the world,...
- 193
-1
votes
1
answer
57
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Arguments against personal omphalism [closed]
Personal omphalism is, for a lack of a better term (let me know if you know of a better word), what I call the possibility of one's own mind having come into existence at any point, with one's ...
- 101
4
votes
1
answer
911
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An Argument against Descartes's radical doubt
Reflecting on Descartes's evil genius, I came up with an argument to use against his radical skepticism, that is, when he doubts even the basic laws of logic and basic mathematics (3 + 2 = 5).
The ...
- 89
1
vote
0
answers
180
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How did Descartes made a logical skeptic argument against logic, without falling into a paradox, in his Metaphysical Meditations? Is it actually valid
René Descartes seems to have made some arguments against logic and mathematics in his Metaphysical Meditations, however it seems that these arguments are still logical, and the problem is whether that ...
- 51
1
vote
0
answers
89
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How can beliefs be justified when they are always subject to Cartesian skepticism?
It seems obvious to me that after glancing at my watch I "know" what time it is. But this apparent "knowledge" can be explained away by infinitely many skeptical hypotheses. ...
- 1,000
0
votes
1
answer
159
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Is existence a necessary condition for thinking? [closed]
Is existence a necessary condition for thinking?
Descartes argues that because he thinks, he exists. But wouldn't he have to exist in the first place for him to:
A) Think and
B) Realize that he ...
- 508
5
votes
3
answers
679
views
Serious arguments against skepticism about the external world?
As we all know, Kant wrestled with Cartesian skepticism for a long time. And of course, Descartes himself did, but he appeals to a version of the ontological argument which is not very persuasive.
...
- 4,841
2
votes
2
answers
488
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Are there any certainties besides "Cogito, ergo sum"?
Descartes said, "Cogito, ergo sum(I think, therefore I am)". I agree with him on the fact that this is the only thing that we can ever truly know for sure. Is there anyone who could tell me if there ...
2
votes
1
answer
142
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Cartesian Skepticism within a Coherentist Epistemology
I recently decided that it is high time I reacquaint myself with the early moderns, and I thought there could be no better place to start with than Descartes' Mediations on First Philosophy. Reading ...
- 643
11
votes
5
answers
1k
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How far can/should one press philosophical doubt?
Should we keep on questioning until nothing is left to question or is there a point on which we need to stand (which we often tend to do)? Descartes used 'I think' as this fixed point where the ...
- 409
2
votes
2
answers
149
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Looking at Descartes, does the temporality of consciousness justify doubt in it?
Let's look again at Descartes' cogito argument:
“let him [the deceiving demon] deceive me as much as he can, he will never bring it about
that I am nothing so long as I think that I am something. ...
- 4,841
1
vote
1
answer
3k
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Descartes and Montaigne
My history professor recently told us that Michel de Montaigne—who I had never heard of before—had many of Descartes's ideas before Descartes did and that most of Descartes's arguments were not very ...
- 113
5
votes
1
answer
464
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How does Descartes make contact with the world?
Descartes' cogito allows him to deny extreme sceptism; but then how does he actually make contact with the world as opposed to saying - I exist and the world is my (unconscious) invention -, i.e. ...
- 47.9k