Abstract
This paper discusses Descartes' Cartesian arguments for the existence of God. The author points out the claims that this argument is flawed. The author structures an argument that will support our claim for scientific knowledge.

From the Paper
"This study will examine Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy, specifically the objections to the First, Second, and Sixth Meditations.

There are a number of objections to the arguments in the Meditations, some of which are technical and perhaps trivial, some of which are significant and which cut to the very heart of Descartes' arguments on existence.

Descartes argues, for example, "That which we clearly and distinctly understand to belong to the true and immutable nature of anything, its essence or form, can be truly affirmed of that thing. But after we have with sufficient accuracy investigated the nature of God, we clearly and distinctly understand that to exist belongs to his true nature. Therefore we can with truth affirm of God that He exists" . "

Abstract
This paper provides a summary and critique of Descartes argument for the proof of God in his "Meditations." Each paragraph describes an aspect of Descartes' argument and refutes it through showing his flaws in logic or fallacies. The next section of the essay summarizes each of the Meditations and their main point and critiques them in a similar fashion.

From the Paper
"Rene Descartes' "Meditations on First Philosophy" contain six of the philosopher's Meditations that reveal his rationalism or belief in human reason as the means of discerning absolute truth. In each of these Meditations, Descartes provides a foundation for "Meditation III" in which he provides proof for God's existence. In other Meditations, Descartes provides us with his method of doubt, his method of reason or logic and other concepts like mind-body dualism. Descartes' proof of God's existence is based on his logic known as the..."

Tags:existence, God, thinking, dualism, mind, body, perception, senses, analogy, circular reasoning, Cartesian dilemma

Abstract
This paper explains that Rene Descartes used doubt to prove his beliefs to be true as presented in his most famous work "Meditations on First Philosophy" in which he enters into his most radical phase of methodological doubt when he introduces his evil genius hypothesis. The author points out that Descartes uses the evil genius hypothesis to help illustrate his total abandonment of his old beliefs, but he does not start at scratch when he tears down his thoughts; he decides to adopt the opposite of the ones he held before he started his experiment. The paper relates that Descartes proves the existence of God by deciding that everything he clearly and distinctly perceives as true must be certain because having ascertained that he exists and that he is a thinking thing.

From the Paper
"There is however, the difficulty raised with the case of deception by God, an example of this being geometry and arithmetic. These truths seem clear and distinct to Descartes, but there is still the possibility that he is deceived with respect to them. If God can deceive him of his clear and distinct perceptions, perhaps even the cogito can be cast back into doubt. Descartes seems to want to escape the problems involved in clear and distinct perceptions by relying on God's existence to make them true. However, Descartes also seems to want to prove God's existence by claiming it as a clear and distinct perception. Welcome to the Cartesian Circle."

Tags:cartesian-circle, evil-genius, doubt, perception, thoughts

Abstract
Rene Descartes, in his Meditations on First Philosophy, addresses a wide variety of questions, from nature of the self and perception, to the demonstration of the existence of the world and of God. However, his argument in these Meditations begins at a point of radical scepticism concerning the existence of the universe and the nature of reality. Central to this argument is the idea of Cartesian dualism, or the separation of rational intellect from the body and the senses. In this context, this paper will argue, through a examination of various facets of Descartes' argument, that in the final analysis Meditations on First Philosophy retains a measure of this scepticism in its refusal to accept the position that knowledge may be acquired by the senses. 4 pgs. Bibliography lists 1 source.

Tags:descartes, limitations, senses

Abstract
This paper discusses the nature of reality and the limits of consciousness and dreams by comparing and contrasting a principal philosophy text and a box-office hit movie, Descartes' "Meditations of First Philosophy" and the movie "The Matrix". It focuses on the theme that no human can really judge the limits of existence and knowledge, so therefore we cannot really be sure what is real and what is illusion.

From the Paper
"For Descartes the primary debate is posed in his Meditation One, in which he illuminates on those things that can be called into doubt. He essentially doubts the separation between wakefulness and dreams because he argues that he experiences the same things in sleep that he does when he is awake. His primary example is that while he thinks he is awake because of all the things he is seeing and doing, "how often does my evening slumber persuade me of such ordinary things as these" (14). With this in mind, one cannot argue that dreams do not prove to have all the same basic elements that we know to exist when we are awake. "

Tags:illusion, meditations, morphios, neo, plato, socrates, trinity

Abstract
In this paper, Descartes' "Meditations" are subjected to critical analysis. The Fifth Meditation is discussed in relation to Thomas Hobbes' objections to it and the question is raised as to whether either of them have contributed anything significant here.

From the Paper
"Someone once answered the objection that philosophy is too obscure for the layman to understand by observing that if the answers to the questions that have fascinated philosophers through the ages were obvious, they would have been .."

Tags:dualism, Descartes, Hobbes

rationalism

Abstract
This paper explores several ideas presented in Descartes' "Meditations" particularly the argument that the mind is more easily understood than the physical world. According to the paper, Descartes makes a compelling argument based on everyday evidence that suggests that the mind is much easier to understand than the physical world. His argument hinges on the matter of trust.

From the Paper
"In his Meditations, Descartes argues that the mind is more easily understood than the physical world. At first brush, this might not seem to make much sense. After all, the physical world should be more easily understood. We can see it, touch it, and otherwise perceive it with our senses. The physical world has a tangible nature that the mind lacks. The mind consists only of thoughts, of ideas, of imaginings. How can such ephemeral "objects" compare in terms of comprehensibility with the physical world? But in fact, Descartes makes a compelling argument based on everyday evidence that suggests that the mind is much easier to..."

Tags:descartes, mind, philosophy

Abstract
This paper is an exposition of Descartes' "Meditations". It concentrates on the central argument that material objects have existence separate from the perceptions that they give rise to. The paper also explains what systematic doubt is and why Descartes makes this his starting point. The paper also examines how, having spelt out the philosophical problem in the first "Meditation", Descartes aims to solve the problem through the subsequent five Meditations, thereby arriving at certainty regarding material existence. The paper follows the steps of the argument without critical analysis of it.

From the Paper
"Doubt is part of everyday existence; for example we doubt whether we will pass an exam. This is real doubt, but it is not the sense in which Descartes doubts. He engages in metaphysical doubt, which means that he doubts things that we would not normally doubt, for example that a piece of ice would feel cold when we touched it. Through experience we have leant to trust our senses, and the mere sight of ice leads us to believe that it will feel cold. But it could be the case that we picked up a marble slab thinking it a piece of ice, and then it would not feel as cold. So the senses can deceive us, and we have cause to doubt. But if all our knowledge comes through the senses, there are grounds for us to doubt everything. Through systematic doubt Descartes wants to arrive at the worst case scenario, to come to all that it is possible to doubt. "

Tags:cogito, ergo, sum, empirical, skepticism, metaphysical

Abstract
This paper shows how Descartes, in two meditations, contemplates the nature of existence and knowledge. It discusses the question that prompted Descartes in pursuing his two meditations "How can we know what is real?" It shows that Descartes' problem lay within connecting the properties created by God, the mental and the physical.

From the Paper
"Descartes examines the nature of existence itself, through analyzing the senses, the line between the real and imaginary and the questions basis on which we claim knowledge. In his conclusion of these meditations he only surfaces with one clear statement of which he can be entirely certain of: "I am, I exist" suggesting that an ability to think, reason, believe and doubt proves that we must exist on some level for this process to occur, even if there is no outside world beyond our own mind."

Tags:philosophy, real, knowledge, mental, physical