Cartesian Rationalism: A Critical Analysis

Lecture 5: (fin)

Philosophy of Knowledge

GOD

Mental constructs of the material [REAL] WORLD

Cartesian Foundationalism

Self-conscious existence Existence of God

Existence of sensible objects (the world)

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Judgment = affirmation of existence of existing things

Knowledge = certain belief of existence; i.e., indubitable propositions

Problems & Questions

The existence of God is crucial to Descartes escape from solipsism What is the effect on the theory if we reject his argument

for the existence of God? Knowledge is knowledge of ideas in the mind.

There is no means of verifying the correspondence of ideas (as objects of thought) and things (as objects in the real world)

What is Descartes ‘warrant’ for such correspondence? Does it ‘in fact’ meet his criterion of indubitability? If not is his theory consistent?

Can we overcome the problem? Is there a possible replacement for God in

Cartesian rationality? Think: What role does God play? Can this role be played by something besides a

transcendent being? Noam Chomsky and linguistic ‘hardwiring’ Neuroscience & cognitive capacity Are these potential solutions?

What problem do they not solve? Think: Can we ‘know’ the ‘real world’ that exists

independently of our knowing it?

A new problem

What is Descartes criterion of knowing? What does this criterion eliminate from

knowing? [Think about the degrees of certainty]

Is this elimination warranted? Think about the kinds of knowledge claims

you make and act on every day Are they ‘mere opinion’?

Cartesian rationalism:Accept or reject?

Accepting or rejecting (judging) a theory (explanation of some x [field of data]) Is all of the data accounted for? Are all the claims acceptable (true) Are they sufficient? Are they relevant?

Taking Descartes’ argument as a whole should we accept it or reject it?

Descartes contributions

Knowledge is a JUDGMENT or affirming that some x (any proposition) exists (is true) Any act of knowing includes the subject’s self-conscious

judging Data does not ‘give meaning’ [knowledge]. Knowledge

seems to be a grasp of relationships in data (facts) which requires the presence of the subject

Thus, knowledge includes the subject’s UNDERSTANDING

An adequate theory must incorporate understanding (relationships) and judging (affirming and denying existence)

Final questions

What do we carry forward? Affirm insights

What do we leave behind? Reject undersights, oversights and errors