Descartes and Knowledge of the External World

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at Descartes' ideas of how one perceives reality and how these ideas of reality or non-reality are determined by the mind. Based on his Meditations, the paper argues against Descartes' idea that there are three different ways the mind perceives things, and only things that do not exist within the person and have a "more perfect" source can truly be said to exist.

From the Paper:

"Do we really know what we think we know? Can we really prove the existence of an external world outside of our selves? According to Descartes, humans can and do have knowledge of the external world obtained through our senses and thinking processes. In Descartes' Meditations, he explores the ways in which this knowledge is necessary and how it relates to the ability to prove the existence of God. This paper will examine various aspects of this discussion, specifically looking at the arguments used by Descartes in his Meditations which seek to prove that yes, we can have knowledge of the external world."

More papers on Descartes and Knowledge of the External World:

• Persuasive Essay # 101803 : "Existence of an External World"
• Analytical Essay # 131941 : "The Existence of an External World?"
• Comparison Essay # 100946 : "Reality and the External World"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: