What Can We Know - Rene Descartes Views - Essay Example

Rene Descartes’ views on absolute truth, there are a variety of things that we can know, many of which are learned as a person grows, many which are not learned depending on one’s exposures and much more which have to be discovered. In knowing or learning, the traditional ways like observing and oral communication are ordinarily employed. Now, we can read from printed pages and internet sources. However, sticking to Descartes’ view, a person should not believe all that he reads.

I equate this view to what is always said in court to accused persons, ‘presumed innocent until proven guilty’.  Man seeks truth with very convincing evidence behind the truth. Certainty is one of the things that men probably cling to like the certainty of life after death, so that they can find meaning in things they do, in their existence. Otherwise, when there is no such certainty, there is no reason for living and doing good, then everyone can just live each day as he wishes, as they say, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.

I exist is the absolute truth because no one can refute that because I can show myself up to prove the argument. When all else is put on the ‘not absolute’ side until proven so, dreams and meditations which are products of what we perceive are on the same side.