DQ16

Class Responses and Instructor Comments

>From dorota:

1-innate(truth, thought, God) based on reasoning
2-acquired by senses (moon,sun,sound,man) ideas
experienced by senses.
3-ideas produced by me (emotion, feeling more from inside)
Only ideas of type two can be doubt, since they are A Posteriori- based on senses.

>rm says: I guess I'd like to see a particular additional (hint hint) example in type one, and a different kind of example in type three. Look at what Descartes says about these. Also, don't forget that doubt can infect all of them. I hope I didn't mislead you all in class. I mean to say: the errors which arise from reliance on the resemblance hypothesis affect ideas of types two and three, but not the innate ideas, since they are the result of the work of the intellect alone.

>From anna grier:

Innate: Ideas that are independent of experience.
example: Babies know at a certain age that they will fall off of the edge of a high platform if they crawl too close to the edge. (priori).
Aquired: From sense experience.

example:running down an ice covered walkway will
cause one to slip and fall and may cause serious injury.(posterori).
Ideas produced by me: If I want to be on time for work tomorrow,I have to set the alarm clock before I go to sleep to wake me up.(posteriori)

>rm says: Your example of an acquired belief is right. Be careful with innate ideas; don't confuse them with instinctive abilities. We are looking for statements which we can express, say, in a proposition of language. 'I exist' is Descartes' first example of an innate idea, but he gives quite a few others. As for the last category, I'm not sure I understand your example. If you mean that I produce the idea of setting the alarm clock, I can see that.

Descartes Reading Guide 16. What are the three types of ideas? Characterize each, providing examples.		Back to Descartes Reading Guide Back to Philosophy 101 Home Next Question
Enter your response to the above question, or to a previous response, in the form below, or use this email link. I will post your response on the right, and comment if I think I can be helpful. When emailing, instead of using the form, please indicate the question number. When using the form below, if you neglect to enter your name or email, I won't know who you are.	Class Responses and Instructor Comments >From dorota: 1-innate(truth, thought, God) based on reasoning 2-acquired by senses (moon,sun,sound,man) ideas experienced by senses. 3-ideas produced by me (emotion, feeling more from inside) Only ideas of type two can be doubt, since they are A Posteriori- based on senses. >rm says: I guess I'd like to see a particular additional (hint hint) example in type one, and a different kind of example in type three. Look at what Descartes says about these. Also, don't forget that doubt can infect all of them. I hope I didn't mislead you all in class. I mean to say: the errors which arise from reliance on the resemblance hypothesis affect ideas of types two and three, but not the innate ideas, since they are the result of the work of the intellect alone. >From anna grier: Innate: Ideas that are independent of experience. example: Babies know at a certain age that they will fall off of the edge of a high platform if they crawl too close to the edge. (priori). Aquired: From sense experience. example:running down an ice covered walkway will cause one to slip and fall and may cause serious injury.(posterori). Ideas produced by me: If I want to be on time for work tomorrow,I have to set the alarm clock before I go to sleep to wake me up.(posteriori) >rm says: Your example of an acquired belief is right. Be careful with innate ideas; don't confuse them with instinctive abilities. We are looking for statements which we can express, say, in a proposition of language. 'I exist' is Descartes' first example of an innate idea, but he gives quite a few others. As for the last category, I'm not sure I understand your example. If you mean that I produce the idea of setting the alarm clock, I can see that.
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