Descartes' Philosophy

Term Paper # 99944

Philosophy

This paper examines the philosophy of Rene Descartes.

1,174 words () | 2 sources | MLA | 2007 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the philosophical investigations of Descartes in his "Discourse on Method and the Meditations" and "Meditations on First Philosophy". The paper explains his ideas of senses and perception, the mind-body dualism, the nature of reality and the materials and methods of philosophy as a discipline.

From the Paper:

"In the Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes presents what has come to be called the Cartesian dualism, referring to the idea that the mind and body are separate and that the mind is incorporeal. The senses are part of the body, presenting images and sensations to the mind. The fact that the senses may deceive creates doubt as to the nature of reality and the nature and utility of knowledge. For Descartes, the one thing that cannot be doubted and that is true each time it is expressed by a person is that the person knows that he or she exists. Descartes says he might doubt everything else because his senses may deceive him, and he may thus deny that he has a body and senses because he perceives these things only through what he has called the senses, and all this data might be false."

Sample of Sources Used:

Descartes, Rene. Discourse on Method and the Meditations. New York: Penguin, 1968.
Descartes, Rene. Meditations on First Philosophy. New York: Bobbs-Merrill, 1960.