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DESCARTES
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on existence of God, mind/body connections, skepticism, logic.... More...

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Paper Abstract:
on existence of God, mind/body connections, skepticism, logic.

Paper Introduction:
Rene Descartes was a French philosopher and mathematician. One of his main works is Meditations on First Philosophy. In these Meditations, Descartes sets out to logically prove God exists. This paper will be a discussion and analysis of these six Meditations in which 'the existence of God and the distinction of the soul from the body are demonstrated'. As demonstrated by the above quote from William James, Descartes does contradict other philosophers with his Meditations and extends the work of those before him--while also laying the groundwork for those who would continue in his vein. Each Meditation and what it sets out to prove will be discussed. Pertinent criticisms of Descartes' logic will also be illustrated before a brief conclusion sums up the major contribution

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Then since God is no deceivereverything clearly and distinctively perceived by us is true. However, to be deceived I must be able to think because I am believingsomething that is false. We resemble God in only oneaspect--that our human will is unlimited and unconstrained. Perhaps the main criticism of Descartes' logic in proving there is aGod is best illustrated by a philosophical phenomenon known as a Cartesiancircle. Until histime, skepticism was traditionally part of an ethical world point of viewwhich encouraged the relief of moral burdens. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press,199 .Durant, Will, and Ariel Durant. Rene Descartes was a French philosopher and mathematician. InMeditation #6, we have restated the general belief: That there exist bodiesoutside of ourself, and that these are the causes of some of oursensations. Skepticism is theonly tool which allows us to cut through the mountainous volume ofinformation--both true and untrue--to find the small hill of truth at thecenter. Thefourth Meditation explains that error in human nature comes only from thewill. However, the other type of judgments are made when something is notclearly or distinctively perceived, or only seemingly perceived. Even Descartes' title for theseMeditations comforts people that God exists. Matter and Consciousness. This is wherewe are led to the mechanistic nature base of Descartes theories. Meditation #5 explains that we can know the essence of materialthings through the properties of analytical geometry. For whether I be awake or asleep, two plus three makes five, and a square does not have more than four sides; nor does it seem possible that such obvious truths can fall under the suspicion of falsity (Cahn, 3 9). Freedom is a higher positive value than all the badthings because we must choose when we are free. The second part says deceit implies a lack of power orgoodness (or both). Descartes' major contribution to the world of philosophy was inallowing skepticism to become a utility for the philosopher. Almost all of his learned peers disagreed andtherefore he doubted everything, giving him the immortal phrase "Cogitoergo sum" (I think therefore I am). In other words, the conclusion is only asstrong as the weakest premise. Descartes says this is true for two main reasons: A) Becausewe have a great propensity to believe it, and; B) God has given me nofaculty to correct this belief. In life, we can only be assured we are not being takenadvantage of when we base our actions on truth alone. However, theflaw of the Cartesian circle is that it's proposition is true before you'veargued for it with the premises. For example, saying anaccident was someone's fault can often be based on unclear perceptions.This is why Descartes ignores what is not built on truth and notmathematically provable, because our senses are flawed. Descartessays--due to freedom. The soul sits in the middleof the brain and spreads about the body through the spirit's nerves andeven blood. Nature isbest understood through the laws of physics. Particular beliefs about particular statesof particular bodies we believe to be outside of us can only be corrected,if mistaken, through the faculty of reason. Each Meditation and what it sets out to prove willbe discussed. True, Descartes' Meditations have legitimate criticisms leveledagainst them and are only a piece of the overall ontological answer.However, as the opening quote by Will and Ariel Durant expresses, thephilosopher must not forget his own tiny, if not insignificant, role in the'overall' scheme of things. The Age of Reason Begins. So at least at someplaces, our will will override our intellect. It is onlyfrom these types of judgments that error occurs. 2nd ed. He tells us there are six passions thatare caused by the movement of these spirits, and also create certainmovements of the body. The above paragraphs explain the first two Meditations and lead us tobelieve that whatever else we are, we are a thing that thinks. As Churchland notes, Descartes came up with animal spirits as thesolution for this, as they were said to convey the mind's influence to thebody in general (Churchland 9). At this point Descartesreminds us himself: "I needed to assert that God exists since existence isone of these perfections--and He has all perfections" (Cahn, 331). True evil comes always and only from free agents. Humanintellect, however, is finite so we are able to be in error due to falsejudgments. Thesejudgments are where the will must determine to assent or not. Asdemonstrated by the above quote from William James, Descartes doescontradict other philosophers with his Meditations and extends the work ofthose before him--while also laying the groundwork for those who wouldcontinue in his vein. However, if Godis omnipotent why does he let our willful actions go unpunished? One ofhis main works is Meditations on First Philosophy. The first part of the argument claims there is no lack or reality ofperfection in Him. By using skepticism as adevice to discover what beliefs he had were true, if any, he created amethod by which his beliefs could be tested against the highest possibledegree of doubt. In other words, an infinite being must have everypossible perfection to the highest degree possible, lacking any would notmake him infinite. Descartesproved this in a four step argument. The blood participates in the spirit and carries it by way ofthe arteries into all the limbs. Classics of Western Philosophy. Thereis a difference between the soul and the body. In regard to the soul, Descartes has quite distinct theories. New York: Hackett, 1987.Churchland, M. In other words, if we clearly see our actions as being wrong--it isimpossible for us to sin as long as we see these actions in this light. New York:Simon and Schuster, 1961.----------------------- 3 Descartes wanted to buildthe formulations of science on truth alone. The will, unlike the passions, is alwaysfree. However, by the endof Meditation #5, there is still no proof of bodies given. Paul. things clearly perceived by me.Meditation #3 gets rid of the part which claims God is a deceiver, asMeditation #4 will prove there is a perfect God. For that was the only thing he wasperfectly certain of, that he could not possibly doubt. Section three says that since both powerand goodness are perfections, since God has all of them to the highestpossible degree, thus part four--God is no deceiver. Descartes believed thatphilosophy is the highest aim and last degree of wisdom. He usedmathematics because as he reminds us in the first Meditation: Arithmetic, geometry and other such disciplines--contain something certain and indubitable. Judgments as discussed in the fourth Meditation are of two types.The first are from propositions which are clearly and distinctivelyperceived that determine our will. Works CitedCahn, S, ed. In other words, a square has foursides. It is representedby the science of morals which are necessary for the proper conduct of ourlives. The first is that you can only build on the truth or yourfoundation for your theories will crumble, and he accepts both classical,standard arguments: 1) Dreams are not reliably connected to reality; and2) All of us hold that an omnipotent being made us. In other words, no claim canbe true that is based on our senses or emotions. The following premise must be added tomake it so: Whatever thinks exists. In these Meditations,Descartes sets out to logically prove God exists. In formulating his six Meditations, Descartes uses two majorassumptions. Before starting theMeditation summaries, one must understand that "I think therefore I am" isnot syllogistic in and of itself. Because substances were not thought to be able to move ontheir own, the problem with Cartesian Dualism (or Substance Dualism) hadbeen how the brain (soul) was able to influence causal activity on thebody. Each of Descartes' six Meditations set out to prove logically thatGod exists and that mind and body are separate. This is necessary because we eitherare thinking or we are being deceived by some evil genius to believe we areso. Thus one is only pushed to deceive others due tonecessity from lacking something. The third Meditation gets rid of onereason for doubting this--it gets rid of God as an evil fooler. Pertinent criticisms of Descartes' logic will also beillustrated before a brief conclusion sums up the major contributionDescartes made to the world of philosophy. These six passions are: wonder, love, hate, desire,joy and sorrow. Then he says we know He exists because God is nodeceiver so these thoughts must be true. Many later philosophers would alsocriticize Descartes for his belief of how the soul controls the passions ofthe body. Therefore, we are at the point where perception cannot be doubted.In the third Meditation, Descartes proves that whatever else we know, wewere created by an omnipotent being. This paper will be adiscussion and analysis of these six Meditations in which 'the existence ofGod and the distinction of the soul from the body are demonstrated'. As Will and Ariel Durantpoint out: "As we follow Descartes, we see the infant Age of Reasonrecoiling in fear from the hazards of thought and seeking to reenter thewarm womb of faith" (Durant 64 ). To him philosophy was like a tree, of which metaphysics was theroot, and physics the trunk. For example, Descartes gives us proof that God exists because webelieve it to be so. The evil genie hypothesis says ifeither God is a deceiver, or there is no God, then I might be deceived ineverything I think I know best, i.e. If weare to make a significant contribution to our own understanding of thespiritual and physical connection, then we must continue using the sameskeptical logic pioneered by Descartes. The fourth Meditation states basically that the infinite being, whoseexistence is proved in the third Meditation, is and must be perfect. The end ofthe second Meditation proves that a soul can exist without a living body,yet his dream casts doubts on the living body, which casts a doubt on thesoul. Because he dared to doubt Descartes did make asignificant leap in our understanding of the mind-body connection.

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