DQ6

Class Responses and Instructor Comments

>From Mildred Ferentino:
Regarding the 3 arguments of doubt that Descartes presents, I am familiar with #2 dreams, however can you give me the definition of illusion and the evil demon?

>rm says: Illusion has to do with minor sensory problems, and the demon can put any thoughts in our head. Do other students wish to comment? What kinds of different beliefs are called into doubt by the different arguments, e.g.?

>From anna grier: It is a common belief that God speaks to us through our dreams and this is what Descartes means when he says long standing opinions keep returning against his will and take advantage of credulity. His dreams are like halucinations of the buliding blocks of our imagination which gives us the ability to make or recieve images therefore, the Evil demon deciever might be lurking in Descartes dark thoughts that are from posterori knowledge from the senses/ experience.

>rm says: In this question, I am asking you to rehearse the three doubts. I'm not sure how common is the belief to which you refer, about the messages in our dreams, and I'm even less sure about how common it may have been in Descartes' day. I wonder if you can find any evidence that this is what Descartes means. I would have thought that this was about how easy it is to believe what we sense, and what our common sense tells us (like the truth of the resemblance hypothesis) and how difficult it is to take the doubts seriously.

Descartes Reading Guide 6. "But eventually I am forced to admit that there is nothing among the things I once believed to be true which it is not permissible to doubt - and not out of frivolity or lack of forethought, but for valid and considered reasons." (62) Explain what these three reasons are.		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 Mildred Ferentino: Regarding the 3 arguments of doubt that Descartes presents, I am familiar with #2 dreams, however can you give me the definition of illusion and the evil demon? >rm says: Illusion has to do with minor sensory problems, and the demon can put any thoughts in our head. Do other students wish to comment? What kinds of different beliefs are called into doubt by the different arguments, e.g.? >From anna grier: It is a common belief that God speaks to us through our dreams and this is what Descartes means when he says long standing opinions keep returning against his will and take advantage of credulity. His dreams are like halucinations of the buliding blocks of our imagination which gives us the ability to make or recieve images therefore, the Evil demon deciever might be lurking in Descartes dark thoughts that are from posterori knowledge from the senses/ experience. >rm says: In this question, I am asking you to rehearse the three doubts. I'm not sure how common is the belief to which you refer, about the messages in our dreams, and I'm even less sure about how common it may have been in Descartes' day. I wonder if you can find any evidence that this is what Descartes means. I would have thought that this was about how easy it is to believe what we sense, and what our common sense tells us (like the truth of the resemblance hypothesis) and how difficult it is to take the doubts seriously.
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