Descartes
What does Descartes mean by thinking?
According to the quote “I think therefore I am” simply means that he has disapproved each and everything that he used to believe in. therefore he has nothing left, he can only rely on himself since he is only left with himself and there is no one or nothing else but only himself. Whether Descartes is being deceived by either demons or if the beliefs that he has are wrong, he is capable of doubting anything he therefore must be alive in order to doubt anything in the first place. He therefore believes that his ability to think is what makes him to believe that he is really existing, and if he deceives god, it cannot change anything. This beliefs have consequently made Descartes to live peacefully without having to fear anything at all since he is alive and existing and nothing can change that (Chapter 13, p 314).
How certain is Descartes that he is thinking? On what grounds?
Descartes is certain that he is thinking simply because he is able to see things the way they are and he can also provide a judgement on that thing. According to Descartes, since he is able to see different things which exist such as colours, and he believes that he serves an all-powerful God, then he is thinking (Chapter 13, p 315). He believes that each and everything in the world is deceiving and there is only one thing that can make him believe that he is thinking and that is his mind. This is because, the mind can be able to judge and make decisions thus being able to carry on with his life. Descartes is certain that he is thinking on the grounds that he is able to use his mind to make judgements. He believes that there is a demon who is responsible for deceiving people on to believing that the world there are those things which exist when they actually don’t exist. He goes on to give the example of a candle and a melting wax where the candle makes the wax to melt as it burns (Chapter 13, p 316). This consequently shows that the mind tells a person that both the candle and the wax are melting thus one is able to think and reason using the mind (Chapter 13, p 317).
How certain is he that he exists? On what grounds?
Descartes is certain that he exists because he is able to do things on his own and if he is able to reason then he is existing. According to Descartes, he exists on the ground that there is something that is deceiving him (Chapter 13, p 318). This is what makes him to be able to understand he exists. This is because If he could not be existing, then nothing could be able to deceive hence is really existing. Furthermore, through God, who is infinite, he is therefore infinite and a finite cannot exist without the infinite. Thus because God exists, then he also exists since it is the all-powerful God who created him thus he is existing. On the other hand, he believes that if he can be able to doubt anything, then this means that he is really existing since one cannot be able to doubt if he is not existing. One can only dream if he or she is existing. He dreams thus knowing that he is existing since he can be able to see what might happen. This consequently makes him to believe that he is existing since he can be able to do different things which really show him that he is actually existing.
How certain or indubitable is the Cogito itself?
Cogito is certain and indubitable simply because it provides the reasons as to why a person is living and why he had to exist. It provides different reasons as to why people think and this consequently shows that one is existing (Chapter 13, p 319). On the other hand, it makes it easy for a person to be able to reflect on the life lessons which are mainly passed through dreams. Thus a person can be able to connect to the way that he or she came into being. Moreover, cogito makes a person to know why he or she has to think, reason and to make decisions. Existing does not necessarily mean being alive but it means being able to think, reason, and doubt and to be able to relate to different issues (Chapter 13, p 320).
What does the Cogito tell Descartes about his own nature?
Cogito tells Descartes that the nature which is the human mind, takes place on the first immediately after the first meditation (Chapter 13, p 321). It is basically responsible for giving the body the commands that it has to do. The mind doubts, reasons and also thinks. This consequently acts as the driver of a person’s life since it guides the body on what to do. Through the meditation, he is also able to see things that are not real, since the memory cannot be trusted because it is faulty (Chapter 13, p 322).
Work Cited
Chapter 13. Rene Descartes: Doubting Our Way to Certainty.
