Main Aspects of Descartes Meditations - Essay Example

Critical analysis of Descartes Meditations “I think therefore I am” (English translation), “Cogito, ergo sum” (Latin translation) “Je pense, donc je suis” (French translation), is a popular statement credited to renowned philosopher Rene Descartes. To date, ‘Meditations on First Philosophy’, which he created in 1641 remain his most famous work. In the six essays, Descartes sought to prove God’s existence and the immortal nature of the human soul in an era defined by radical ideologies grounded on scientific discoveries. For example, Copernicus and Galileo proved that the earth revolves around the sun, a presumption contrary to what the church believed. The scientific discoveries cast doubt on God’s existence undermining the church’s influence. As a result, scholars such as Descartes took it upon themselves to reestablish the church’s influence and credibility by proving that God exists. Building on St. Thomas Aquinas’ presumptions, Descartes emphasized the importance of reason in figuring out whether God exists. He inferred that unlike worldly things, individuals are able to prove God’s existence with greater certainty (Ariew & Watkins, 1998). Atheists and some liberal Christians disagreed with Descartes’ presumption. Discussed below is a critical analysis of the six essays, and their significance on modern science and philosophy. In order to critic Descartes’ work, one must first understand his background. Born in La Haye a small town in Touraine on March 31, 1596, Descartes grew up during the scientific revolution era when scholars disputed deeply held beliefs propagated by the church. He received his early education in a Jesuit school; after which, he went on to pursue his Bachelor’s degree in law at Poitiers. In 1616, he joined the army as a volunteer; however, he never witnessed combat. It was while serving in the army that Descartes had an epiphany. He came to the realization that thinking allowed him to dispense uncertainty. Therefore, he left the army and later moved to Holland where he worked on his work diligently. Descartes succumbed to pneumonia in 1650 while serving as court philosopher in Sweden (Clarke, 1992). Of interest to this discussion, is his 1641 publication, ‘The Meditations on First Philosophy’. Descartes split the publication into six essays assigning different titles to each chapter. Each title mirrored the subject discussed in the chapter. In addition, preceding chapters built on antecedent chapters providing a systematic progression of his thoughts. He opted to organize his work in such a way in order to provide a strong foundation for scholars in scientific disciplines (Cottingham, 1992). ‘Meditation One: Concerning Those Things That Can Be Called into Doubt’, is the first essay in the series. In it, Descartes questioned everything he knew in the past because he was unsure of the sources of information. Descartes asserted that sensory perception did not guarantee veracity. According to Descartes, signs distinguishing between sleeping and wakefulness did not exist. He was also unsure of factual, rational subjects such as geometry or arithmetic, which he claimed might prove erroneous in some cases. Descartes concluded that God was not supremely good because he possessed the capacity to deceive (Ariew & Watkins, 1998). Subjectivity clouds rationality; therefore, Descartes approach proves sound in dispelling misconceptions. By beginning from a neutral point, it is possible for individuals to remain open-minded and embrace new findings. Subjective opinions hinder an individual’s understanding of concepts that create a state of incongruence in their cognitive appraisal. However, holding on to past knowledge serves to enlighten an individual when analyzing new information. It is, therefore, crucial for individuals to know when to set aside or hold on to ingrained knowledge when analyzing new information. Scholars such as Bowman Clarke argued that Descartes’ approach of doubting everything, including things that were factual was not geared towards establishing certainty. However, this approach aimed to set a framework for discovering aspects that were indubitable in the following essays (Clarke, 1992). Meditation Two: “Concerning the Nature of the Human Mind: That It Is Better Known than the Body” builds on the first part by identifying the indubitable. His inability to doubt his own existence rendered God’s deceitfulness void. According to Descartes, his ability to think affirmed his existence (Ariew & Watkins, 1998). He was of the opinion that cognition was central to man’s existence, whereby the inability to think negated a person’s existence. In addition, he identified traits of a “thinking thing”, which encompassed the ability to doubt, sense, affirm, deny, refuse, will, and imagine. Descartes distinguished between the body and mind, whereby he saw the mind as a separate, independent entity capable of existing solely. Scholars either agreed or disagreed with Descartes’ dualistic perspective; for example, David Hume inferred that reasoning was not enough to bring assurance or conviction pertaining to any subject (Cottingham, 1992). Third Meditation: “Concerning God, That He Exists” focuses on God’s existence. According to Descartes, God does exist because unlike humans, he is infinite, perfect and his existence is not dependent on other factors. In addition, he asserts that the traits he picked cannot emanate from him because of his finiteness. Descartes believes that it makes more sense to believe God exists compared to believing the contrary. The biggest opponent of Descartes was David Hume who claimed that God’s existence was an idea created from man’s impressions and feelings; however, not from innately ingrained rationality. Scholars rely on the scientific method to establish facts. Therefore, the fact that no observable evidence exists in support of God’s existence makes Descartes’ presumptions subjective and theoretical. He further contradicts himself when he states that he is incapable of understanding God’s infinite trait despite the trait originating from his finite mind. Meditation Four: “Concerning the True and the False” analyzes why humans are prone to error despite a perfect God creating them in his own image. According to Descartes, man’s erroneous trait is a product of free will, which surpasses their comprehension of the world. He proposes restraining of the will as the only way to avoid erroneous judgment. It is clear that Descartes’ view is subjective, and based upon religious indoctrination. This fails to take into account the complexities resulting from interplay of factors likely to influence contribute to erroneous judgment. Just like the antecedent part, Meditation Five, “Concerning the Essence of Material Things, and Again Concerning God” seeks to reaffirm God’s existence. In it, Descartes reiterated the importance of God’s perfection. He claims that this truth is irrefutable. Descartes compares this truth to a triangle, which everyone knows has three sides. Such an argument is fallacious because there lacks any credible evidence to support God’s existence (Broadie, 1970). The final part concludes Descartes thoughts by unifying all concepts discussed in antecedent parts. Meditation Six, “Concerning the Existence of Material Things, and the Real Distinction between Mind and Body” discusses the interdependent relationship between the body and mind. According to Descartes, both are separate entities that function interdependently. He uses the analogy of a ship and sailor to display the interdependence between the body and mind. In addition, Descartes claims his doubts are products of a power superior to his understanding (Broadie, 1970). In conclusion, Descartes set out to prove Gods existence but wound up affecting both the modern science and philosophy fields. It was through ‘The Meditations on First Philosophy’ that the idea of doubting everything until one finds something that is indubitable emerged as a credible method of investigating phenomena within the scientific realm. Descartes placed great importance on mans ability to think; hence his statement "Cogito, ergo sum". However, by arriving at the conclusion that God exists goes against one of the most fundamental principles in philosophy, the principle of non-contradiction. Claiming that God is supremely good contradicts his possession of negative qualities such as deceitfulness. Despite the mixed reactions from different factions, Descartes work remains an influential literal piece bold enough to challenge the zeitgeist. References Ariew, R., & Watkins, E. (1998). Modern Philosophy: An Anthology of Primary Sources. In R. Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing. Broadie, F. (1970). An Approach to Descartes Meditations. London: The Athlone Press. Clarke, B. L. (1992). "Rene Descartes". In In a Great Thinkers of the Western World. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. Cottingham, J. (1992). Cartesian Dualism: Theology, Metaphysics, and Science. In The Cambridge Companion to Descartes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Read More