Ryan V
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Ryan V
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Re: Ryan V
Good point. This is part of Descartes rhetoric. First, it should be pointed out that his concept of science is different than our own. We no longer use certainty as a criterion, but rather deal with probabilities. Second, mathematics stands as Descartes model of reason and certainty. I think indubitability serves as a way to question the Church without suffering the fate of Galileo. In the dedication to the Meditations he is obsequious to the Church leaders, but then goes on to question everything, which includes the Church, but he is careful not to state that and expects the reader to reach that conclusion on his or her own. He also points out that as a practical matter we cannot doubt everything, and many of the things he goes on to claim are evident by the light of reason can be doubted - most notably his “proofs” of the existence of God. But he uses God’s goodness to affirm that we are not deceived about everything and that not everything should be doubted.Interestingly, Descartes often talks about his objections of the truth that Mathematics claims. He questions his own reality, which contradicts the ideas of Science.
As I see it, if he were to rigorously and consistently follow the practice of doubt there would be nothing he could be certain of. He could not even be certain of his own existence, for the logic that he must exist in order to be deceived might also be a deception. He has, however, been successful in so far as he has established his Archimedean point, the independent authority of human reason.
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Re: Ryan V
So what you seem to be saying here is that the simple logic of the proposition "I think, therefore I am" might itself be a deception. The conclusion that in order to doubt my existence there must be something there doing the doubting is the conclusion of a logical argument. Whose reality/validity can be doubted.He could not even be certain of his own existence, for the logic that he must exist in order to be deceived might also be a deception.
But if we attempt to extend the method of doubt to the logical structure of our sentences surely the very sentences that we use to describe and justify that extension crumble away into meaninglessness. Using a reasoned argument to doubt the existence of reasoned arguments is self contradictory. But then, I guess we can doubt the logic that leads us to believe that it is self contradictory.
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Re: Ryan V
Yes, and that is why I said that it is rhetorical. He does not doubt reason. He establishes reason, not revelation, not the doctrines of the Church, not “the philosopher” (as Aristotle was known at the time), is the sole source of knowledge. Doubt was the method of clearing, but algebra - solving for any unknown variable using what is known, is the method by which man is able to become “infinitely perfectible”.But if we attempt to extend the method of doubt to the logical structure of our sentences surely the very sentences that we use to describe and justify that extension crumble away into meaninglessness. Using a reasoned argument to doubt the existence of reasoned arguments is self contradictory. But then, I guess we can doubt the logic that leads us to believe that it is self contradictory.
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Re: Ryan V
Fair enough. That's what comes of me plucking a couple of sentences out of their proper context.Yes, and that is why I said that it is rhetorical...
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