PHIL1003 Lecture 3: Lecture 3B - Descartes
Document Summary
Descartes: i want to see if we humans can attain any real knowledge (none of this wishy-washy, micky mouse pseudo-knowledge that"s going around. ) I want scientific and philosophical knowledge as hardcore and reliable as mathematical knowledge (not an actual quotation). Real knowledge has to be totally certain, indubitable, and infallible. Whereas my current "knowledge" of the world seems pretty fallible. Going to throw out every single belief which he can have the slightest doubt. As long as there was any thinking there had to be a mind doing it. Allowed him to accept i think, therefore i am as the "first principle of the philosophy [he] was seeking" (discourse on method, p. 19) Concluded he could be certain about the contents of his own mind. D has the cogito and knowledge of his own experiences but wants more. He thinks the cogito is the most secure and certain.
