Descartes undertakes a difficult task in his attempt: “to establish something firm and long-lasting in the sciences (De Meditationes…)”. In order to construct the foundation of science, Descartes’s Meditations on the First Philosophy shows Skepticism challenging all the beliefs made about science. Two arguments propose the possibility that “all … (Cartes’) beliefs are false” and that absolute truths must be doubted.
In order to see that it is possible to be mistaken in empirical science, or that it is acquired by the senses, Descartes brings forth the argument of dreams. Secondly, although there are known certainties without ambiguous meanings, there may still be a force that misleads us. This second reason, which everywhere increases skepticism, is “the argument of the evil demon.”
Both arguments form what is labeled, The First Meditation, written about …First Philosophy. Descartes’ theory convinces us to forget what can be known for certain.
The views of Descartes on the question are those which most minds adhere to for scientific confirmation. This comfort is undermined by his arguments “attack …” on the “principles” of our knowledge. He simply poses the question how can it be certain that what is believed to be knowable is true and certain? If one trusts the senses to reveal how the world is and not how it is believed, one must come to the mode of certain knowledge.
Most of the knowledge is taken from the senses and as it is done in “dream content”, they can sometimes deceive us, thus making us ambiguous. Reply to Objection 3: The “argument of the evil demon” becomes necessary when we observe that they convey the same senses about which one simply cannot doubt. It is no small thing to be able to doubt the feeling, without which nothing seems to exist and we are useless. Once this doubt is put in place, the knowledge derived from it can be equally credible.
The dream presents the argument that waking consciousness cannot be, because even the dreaming mind can play with images. These images exist as they are produced by the mind and are, as Descartes describes, like painted images. If it is the case that the mind makes these images in dreams, it is possible that the mind also makes images while awake. That is, if he cannot rely on what seems certain to the dreamer, how can he rely on what appears to the watcher?
This element of illusion is manifested in a disease like schizophrenia where the mind hallucinates images. Someone who is schizophrenic cannot rely on or be certain of what they see, and reason holds that this uncertainty can also be present in a healthy mind. Sense is considered to be unstable and it plays such an important role in the acquisition of knowledge covers a lot of ground that Descartes undermines his opinion. . However, much is certain and can be argued that there is knowledge that is beyond the senses. Science is not based on acquired experience or observation, but as something concrete, like mathematics. Although what is learned by the discipline of the sense, something “is indifferent, whether these things act in reality or not.” How does one begin to falsify the roots of arithmetic or geometry? The only answer is found in the question what are the intentions of the being or the force responsible for our creation and all that exists?
For Descartes is not a very good author to argue, and we all know God. Instead, there is an “evil spirit” capable of deceiving us and thus “the argument of the evil demon”, which is used to explore this suspicion of falsity in the fundamentals.
The “evil demon” argument allows Descartes to defend the ability to doubt everything that seems certain. For that which is one and one, there are always two, except in that which is the highest in the reason that one is deceived. Descartes avoids relying on credulous beliefs, thinking that he is being deceived by God, who wants to deceive him from the truth.
The presence of evil to deceive us brings doubt especially, whether in science, or in mathematics, or in perception. This reason, although it seems to be the argument of a dream, is of reason if we arrange all the ideas of certainty.
If Descartes cannot undermine all the disciplines of science and mathematics, he cannot completely undermine the foundations that he wants to doubt. He uses the “argument of the evil demon” to cast doubt on what seems to be beyond doubt. The “dream argument” supports knowledge that “from the consideration of composite things” can be held in doubt (pg 15). The second reason is necessary for something like mathematics, like mathematics. As he says, “watch or sleep, two and three are 5”. If this last statement can be proved false, it is only because of visible force that it hides itself.
Although this is a testament to doubt, it is part of history, so modern science can have a more accurate certainty. Although the foundation of Descartes’ argument firmly embraces the eternal notion that the unbeliever always has at home in the world, no matter the proof. made available. He did great work and his reflections are essential to all philosophy, allowing thought to reach beyond what we know.
All quotes from Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy
