The Cartesian Circle Essay - 913 Words

Descartes’ Cartesian Circle Descartes’ â€Å"Cartesian Circle† has come under fire from countless philosophers because it supposedly commits a logical fallacy with its circular reasoning. In his second Meditation, Descartes attempts to prove the existence of God. He states that clear and distinct perception leads to knowledge, and that God’s existence is apparent and obvious because of things we have come to perceive as knowledge. Furthermore, he asserts that we cannot turn these perceptions into knowledge without the assurance that God exists. Essentially, Descartes claims that God is a necessary condition for knowledge, which in turn requires the existence of God. This circular logic presents a problematic scenario similar to the â€Å"chicken†¦show more content†¦In one publication James Van Cleve writes about a philosopher named Willis Doney who advocates a â€Å"solution† to the Cartesian Circle called the Memory Gambit. Doney’s analysis reveals that â€Å"Des cartes says that if I remember clearly and distinctly perceiving something that I do not now clearly and distinctly perceive, I can be certain of it if and only if I know that God exists† (Cleve, 56). Doney proposes that an atheist can learn and ascertain knowledge about subjects such as math if he clearly perceives them at the time. Whether or not he retains that knowledge or is able to erase doubt regarding that knowledge is entirely dependent on his comprehension of God’s existence. Doney’s interpretation therefore is that the function of God is only to guarantee the accuracy of one’s memory, rather than regulate the transition from a perception to a piece of knowledge. In other words, without a certainty that God exists, one is merely â€Å"trapped in a moment,† and can only be certain of things perceived at any one given time. By denying one of the premises that form the Cartesian Circle, it is possible to circumvent the logical fallacy origina lly committed. Following in the steps of the first defense is one that seeks to disprove Descartes’ second premise: in order to know that God exists, one must first have a certainty that what they perceive is truly knowledge. Van Cleve sheds some light on this byShow MoreRelatedThe Cartesian Circle is Wrong1586 Words   |  7 Pagesdistinct perception, Descartes conveys that God exists. Though his argument seems intriguing, Descartes argument has been treated with dubious standpoints. The reason of doubt, better known as the Cartesian circle, argues that Descartes goes against his own word. The foundation of the Cartesian Circle consists of the argument that Descartes can only know that God exists and is not a deceiver if he knows that his clear and distinct perceptions are true. But he can only know that his clear and distinctRead MoreEssay about Rene Descartes Faith and Reason1292 Words   |  6 PagesDescartes’ philosophy is dominated by his personal crusade for certainty. He thus invoked doubt as a means of attaining certainty. He used many arguments in order to try to achieve this certainty. One of these arguments is known as the Cartesian circle. With the Cartesian circle, Descartes said that no argument to show that God exists could be assured unless one is sure of ones own logic. Conversely, one cannot be certain of ones logic unless one is certain that God exists 5. Because he was a geometricianRead MoreAnalysis : The Representation Of Haar-Like Features915 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Hough transform [16]. The Hough Transform can be defined as the conversion of a point from Cartesian space to the Parameter space depending upon object’s shape. 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This approach to the meditations, in the order with which they are presented, allows me to state that a proof of theRead MoreDescartes s Idea Of God888 Words   |  4 Pagesmain objection to Descartes argument of not only God, but a God who is perfect and true, which is called the Cartesian Circle O bjection, essentially proves that he committed a philosophically illogical error in his argument methods. He challenges to validate God’s existence with the base of his clear and distinct perception of an existing God that he clearly perceives, but, as the ‘circle’ continues, he proves the truthfulness of his clear and distinct perceptions by saying that the perceptions comeRead MoreDescartes Fourth Meditation On The Existence Of God1382 Words   |  6 Pagesplaced false ideas into our minds. The caveat to this counter argument is that in defense of Descartes’ Third Meditation, where he claims that God is not a deceiver, he presupposes the existence of God. This occurs through what is now termed the â€Å"Cartesian circle†. In this reasoning, Descartes claims that the idea of God being perfect is â€Å"true and innate† within him and something that he can access through clear and distinct thought. Descartes continues on to say that anything that he can clearly andRead MoreMedieval Vs. Renaissance Literature1323 Words   |  6 Pagesultimate will. Dante’s Inferno employs figurative and imaginative approaches to give the various classifications of human sins. For instance, according to Dante, sin that is punishable at Eight Circle in eternal damnation is normally worse when compared to those that can be executed at the sixth circle. As such, one may wonder why punishment for bribery should be more severe when compared to the corresponding punishment accorded to the murderer. Basically, this is an absolute deviation from normal