DQ2

Class Responses and Instructor Comments

>From Wai Yan Ng:
He is being deceived by his "senses." We cannot really trust what we see, hear, and touch, etc. We might think it is there, but that can be an illusion. He does not doubt himself, which is "I" in a sense.

>rm says: Yes, this is about the problem of illusion. But more remains known in the face of illusion than the cogito. Think about Class II and Class III. Try to be specific.

>From natalie:

he is being deceived from the senses or through the senses. for example class II which deals with the senses and the physical world and everything in it. Class III is what he would not doubt which are the building blocks and the analytical truth.

>rm says: This is more specific (although one could be more clear about the term 'building blocks; perhaps I wasn't clear enough in class). Class III also includes mathematical truths. Are these called into doubt by the problems with the senses? Remember, Descartes starts with this broad notion of 'from the senses or through the senses', but not everything falls to the two sensory doubts.

>From anna grier: He is being decieved by his senses which are deceptive sometime leading him to believe that the illusions he thought to be real are in fact false. This would classify as a class II category of sense knowlege that include physical objects, the size, shape, extension, flexibility and so on.

>rm says: I like the first sentence, here, but I don't really understand the second. Each doubt eliminates some group of beliefs. Which are eliminated? Which remain?

>From Patricia:

Descartes is being decieved by his senses or through things learnt by his senses. His arguments for doubt are illusion, dreams and the deciever. He however, does not doubt that 'I' exist that is his mind.

Descartes Reading Guide 2. "...[I]t is a mark of prudence never to place our complete trust in those who have deceived us even once." (60) How is Descartes being deceived? What, specifically, does he not doubt here?		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 Wai Yan Ng: He is being deceived by his "senses." We cannot really trust what we see, hear, and touch, etc. We might think it is there, but that can be an illusion. He does not doubt himself, which is "I" in a sense. >rm says: Yes, this is about the problem of illusion. But more remains known in the face of illusion than the cogito. Think about Class II and Class III. Try to be specific. >From natalie: he is being deceived from the senses or through the senses. for example class II which deals with the senses and the physical world and everything in it. Class III is what he would not doubt which are the building blocks and the analytical truth. >rm says: This is more specific (although one could be more clear about the term 'building blocks; perhaps I wasn't clear enough in class). Class III also includes mathematical truths. Are these called into doubt by the problems with the senses? Remember, Descartes starts with this broad notion of 'from the senses or through the senses', but not everything falls to the two sensory doubts. >From anna grier: He is being decieved by his senses which are deceptive sometime leading him to believe that the illusions he thought to be real are in fact false. This would classify as a class II category of sense knowlege that include physical objects, the size, shape, extension, flexibility and so on. >rm says: I like the first sentence, here, but I don't really understand the second. Each doubt eliminates some group of beliefs. Which are eliminated? Which remain? >From Patricia: Descartes is being decieved by his senses or through things learnt by his senses. His arguments for doubt are illusion, dreams and the deciever. He however, does not doubt that 'I' exist that is his mind.
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