Descartes and 'I'

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how Descartes' procedure towards the knowledge of the 'I' is extraordinary in that to discover the fundamental principles of philosophy, Descartes skillfully evoked a radical philosophical and scientific method of doubt, classically referred to as hyperbolic doubt. The paper contends that what is radical about Descartes' method of doubt is that it refuses to accept the knowledge and authority of previous philosophers as well as the obviousness of his reasons and senses. For Descartes, anything that could be doubted must be rejected.

From the Paper:

"Descartes fantastically opens his Meditations by stating his desire to have only true beliefs. In applying the method of hyperbolic doubt, Descartes is following rules set out by himself into exploration of mathematics and philosophy in Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason, and Searching for Truth in the Sciences. Descartes started his line of reasoning by doubting everything, so as to assess the world from a fresh perspective, clear of any preconceived notions. Descartes' ultimate aims however are constructive. Unlike common sceptics who doubt purely for the sake of doubting, Descartes aims to reach certainty-to cast aside the "loose earth and sand so as to come upon solid rock" ( Discourse 3, 6:28,29). Descartes' philosophical method was also intended to be a method for science."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Descartes, Rene. Discourse on Method and the Meditations, trans, F. E. Sutcliffe. Hammondsworth, England: Penguin Books, 1968.
• Descartes, Rene. Meditations on First Philosophy, trans. J. Cottingham. New York: CambridgeUniversity Press, 1986.
• Blackburn, Simon. Think. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
• Descartes' Epistemology. (2005,April 14). Retrieved September 15, 2007, from Stanford University of Encyclopedia website: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/descartes-epistemology/#2
• Garber, Daniel. (2003). Descartes, Rene. In E. Craig (ED), Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. London: Routledge. Retreived August 08, 2007, from Http://www.rep.routledge.com/article/DA026SECT4

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