Abstract
The paper discusses Rene Descartes's three skeptical doubts and the importance of skepticism in his philosophy. The paper explains that the exercise of skepticism is the backbone of Descartes's philosophical approach and is the defining element of his meditations, insofar as they revolve around the identification and examination of three doubts: the doubt in his own existence, the reality of God, and the existence of the outside world. The importance and implications of these doubts are discussed in the paper in the hope of illustrating that, if we want to arrive at certain knowledge and objective truth, we should begin, as Descartes did, by doubting.

From the Paper
"Descartes' third doubt is a natural extension of the first two and particularly interesting insofar as its conclusion is predetermined by the ones arrived at earlier. Quite simply stated, we know that we exist because we are thinking beings and ultimately, conclude that God exists because we have exercised our thinking abilities. However, the outside world is primarily communicated to us as an entity through multiple perceptions and perceptions, in themselves, cannot be accepted as certitudes insofar as they may be misled by the Evil Demon. Nevertheless, the proof for the existence of the external may ultimately emerge from our knowledge of it. Knowledge, insofar as it had earlier been defined by Descartes as indubitable and a product of good God, cannot, therefore be deceiving. Hence, the outside world exists."

Tags:existence, self, god

Abstract
The paper compares how the play "Doubt: A Parable" by John Patrick Shanley and the short story "On the Rainy River" by Tim O'Brien are built on the foundations of uncertainty and doubts. The paper also shows how the two works allow the reader to come to his own conclusions about what ultimately happens in these two works. The paper relates that these works teach that one needs to question what he knows and believes and to understand there will always be uncertainties in life.

From the Paper
"The uncertainties at the end of this play are very clear. First, there is a real uncertainty that Father Flynn did anything at all, and that he was simply afraid of Sister Aloysius and her accusations, and chose to leave rather than to acknowledge them. Today, with so many scandals following priests in the Catholic Church that is not hard to believe, even though this story is set in 1964. However, there are more uncertainties than just Father Flynn's guilt by the end of the play. Should Sister Aloysius be so absolutely sure of her suspicions, even though she has absolutely no proof? Is she really so convinced of her suspicions that she felt it was all right to lie, she a woman of the cloth and a person the children of the school are supposed to look up to? How could anyone be so self-righteous and despicable, and how could she possibly be a nun?"

Tags:change, certainty, Father, Flynn, Sister, Aloysius, O'Brien

Abstract
The paper assesses how the function of doubt in Descartes' "Meditations on First Philosophy" plays an important role in establishing a core foundation upon which the author constructs the superstructure of his philosophical system. The premise of the paper is that the function of radical doubt in Descartes' philosophy lies in how, through the device of the omnipotent Demon and his deceptions, it allows him to clear philosophical ground of opinions that may be in some respect flawed or illogical, and thereby construct an edifice of knowledge from first principles.

From the Paper
"In Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy the exercise of doubting plays an important role in establishing a core foundation upon which Descartes constructs the superstructure of his philosophical system. This essay will argue the thesis that the function of radical doubt in Descartes' philosophy lies in how, through the device of the omnipotent Demon and his deceptions, it allows him to clear philosophical ground of opinions that may be in some respect flawed or illogical, and thereby construct a edifice of knowledge from first principles. In the opening of Meditation Descartes reveals that the utility of doubting lies in its capacity to remove from his thinking "false opinions" that may otherwise cloud or obscure his logical analysis."

Tags:descartes, philosophy, doubt

Abstract
This essay is about the poem "In Memoriam" by Alfred Tennyson. It explores the themes Grief, Reflection and Doubt as soon by the writer. It makes continual references to the poem and discusses the various techniques the poet uses in the process. It concludes that the poem is not a memorial to the poets friend, Arthur Henry Hallam but rather a mirror for readers to look at their own notions of life.

From the Paper
"Alfred Tennyson's In Memoriam is a vast poem of one-hundred-and-thirty-one sections of different lengths that include a prologue and epilogue. In Memoriam is inspired by the grief Tennyson felt at the death of his friend, Arthur Henry Hallam. The poem portrays several intellectual issues of the Victorian Age such as the meaning of life and death and becoming resigned or accustomed to the sense of loss. The verses, in general, show the development of the poet's acceptance and understanding of his friend's death. This paper will explore three notions that can be found in the poem which are grief, reflection and doubt."

Tags:Grief, Reflection, Doubt, Alfred Tennyson, In Memoriam, Arthur Henry Hallam, Victorian Literature

Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that "Young Goodman Brown" has been interpreted to mean that the title character is attempting to retain his faith. The symbolic meanings behind his wife through her name and her ribbons are most often used in support of this argument. The writer maintains that the newness of their marriage suggests that this interpretation might not be the best one. The writer looks at interpretations of this work in relation to doubt and impurity.

From the Paper
"The story "Young Goodman Brown" opens with its title character undertaking a midnight journey into the woods with a stranger one night, just three months into their marriage. Although she begs him to remain with her, Goodman Brown leaves his wife, Faith, to attend what the reader soon learns is a coven, led by the Devil himself. Many interpretations exist for this story. One interpretation is that Goodman Brown is struggling to retain his faith, represented by his wife, Faith. This interpretation is a good one, since Hawthorne did indeed ..."

Tags:doubt

Abstract
"Shadow of a Doubt" was a box office success and remains an outstanding example of Alfred Hitchcock's ability to craft a mystery film into a something which was more than mere cinema; it was also a serious psychological study. In order to achieve this, Hitchcock had to alter the way in which the viewer expected to see films.

Tags:shadow, of, doubt

Abstract
This paper discusses doubt and impurity in Nathaniel Hawthorne's book
"Young Goodman Brown". It discusses the interpretations that exist for this story and how they relate to the main character's spiritual doubt and issues of faith. It also looks at the symbolic meanings behind the main character's wife and how they are most often used in support of the interpretations of the story regarding his faith and doubt.

Table of Contents:
Doubt and Impurity
Impurity and Faith
Unresolved Doubt and Evil
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Young Goodman Brown has been interpreted to mean that the title character is attempting to retain his faith. The symbolic meanings behind his wife are most often used in support of this argument. Yet the newness of their marriage suggests that this interpretation might not be the best one."
"Instead, it might be that Goodman Brown is not tempted to give up his faith; rather, it might be that he is attempting to resolve his doubts and keep the faith that he does have, safe. Faith, through her symbolic name and ribbons, might represent the need for Goodman Brown to come of age. In the end, it is not Faith, his lack of faith, or the Devil that brings Goodman Brown to evil. His life is made miserable and his soul is lost through the simple presence of unresolved doubt."

Tags:faith, impurity, evil, symbolic, soul

Abstract
This paper examines the argument and describes the historical background to Cartesian doubt. It describes Descartes proposal of a method of doubt that, logically carried through, led to absolute certainty in empirical knowledge. It then describes the influence that his claims had on the educated community. The paper goes on to explain how Cartesian doubt was a flawed argument from the beginning and how its faults began to appear.

From the Paper
"In the year 1637, through his publication of Le Discours de la Methode (Discourse on Method), Descartes was supposed to have refuted at last the age-old problem of empirical scepticism. At the time of its publication the argument was a resounding success, and seemed to have removed the key obstacle that lay in the way of the progress of science. Fortified by a philosophy of empirical certitude, the enthusiasm for experimentation and science gained a staggering boost, and a direct consequence was the Age of Enlightenment. Only after the demise of the Enlightenment did the flaws in Descartes' argument begin to appear prominent. But by this time the determinist agenda had succeeded and the scientific method had established itself as the backbone to European civilisation."

Tags:individualism, existential, Descartes

Abstract
This paper explains how Descartes uses the presence of doubt to prove the existence of knowledge and then uses this method of doubt throughout the "Meditations" to bring his readers to various philosophical conclusions.

From the Paper
""I think, therefore I am" (Descartes). That may be the most famous statement in all of philosophy. Beautiful in its simplicity, it is the most concise way of understanding Descartes' method of doubt. According to Descartes, whatever could be doubted was to be rejected (Burnham and Fieser). Therefore, the only things that could be trusted were those things that were clear beyond any doubt. The foundation of Descartes' philosophy was to trust only those things that could be so proven. Then, by removing all things that he could doubt, Descartes was left with the simple fact that he had doubt. That doubt, in and of itself, was sufficient to prove Descartes' existence, giving rise to the beautiful conclusion: "I think, therefore I am" "

Tags:basic, characteristic, thinking, body, distinct, mind, material, sentience, being, cartesian

Abstract
The paper examines Rene Descartes' theory of "Methodological Doubt" which focuses on the certainty of God and human and material existence, and shows how they are some of the most famous passages in philosophy today.

From the Paper
"Descartes strived to create a complete philosophy that was free of any contradictions. He began by rejecting all previous doctrines and dogmas laid down by the earlier philosophers. He resolved to begin by doubting everything so that he could come up with a stable basis for his philosophy. The method he created and adopted was methodological doubt. This methodological doubt became known to many to be a pre-requisite of honest thought."

Tags:think, Meditations