PHIL 110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Descriptive Knowledge, Cogito Ergo Sum, Empirical Evidence

• School: University of San Diego
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHIL 110
• Professor: Colanter

Document Summary

Includes the study of the nature, origin, and validity of knowledge and belief. Certain truths are knowable a priori , through reflection about those truths. Reflection alone without empirical observation can yield knowledge of reality. Knowledge that is not based on sense experience but is innate or known simply by the meaning of words or definitions. The theory appearing in descartes that states that all humans are born with certain knowledge. Whatever i had admitted until now as most true i took in either from the senses or through the senses, however, i noticed that they sometimes deceived me. Hence physics, astronomy, medicine disciplines that are dependent upon the consideration of composite things are all doubtful. But arithmetic, geometry contain something certain and indubitable . I judge that others sometimes make mistakes in matters that they believe they know most perfectly - how do i know that i am not deceived every time i add ? .