Notes for 9/1/2026

 9/1/2026

If you are unsure of something, how do you know that you are unsure about it?

[Philosophy Club every Wednesday, 5-6 pm, in the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences room 436 ("The Cave")]

[Bioethics club TODAY in 436 from 4:30-5:30.]
 
Rene Descartes



The “method of doubt”

Skepticism:
Assertoric skepticism: Nothing can be known with certainty.
(Self-defeating)
Problematic skepticism: Can anything be known with certainty?

D introduces 4 hypothetical scenarios that would render his beliefs doubtful:
1.    Flawed senses
2.    Madness
3.    Dreams
4.    Deceitful god (omnipotent deceiver)







The escape

Cogito ergo sum
I think, therefore I am
I am thinking, therefore I exist

D is sometimes accused of a twofold error in his cogito:

1.    I am thinking.
2.    Whatever is thinking exists.
3.    Therefore, I exist.

The errors are alleged to be:
-    Premise 2 is unlicensed.
-    His trust in logic is unlicensed.

I am thinking
Cogito
Ego cogito
Ego

I am

Inspectional account of knowledge

“as if” character of my ideas is immune to doubt

It is as if I am in a classroom.

Egocentric predicament
Solipsistic position

I at least know what I am thinking about.



Exactly how does the cogito work?



On balls of wax
Unmelted list:
White
Sweet smelling
Hard
Makes sound
Shape

Melted list:
Clear
Runny
Odorless
Makes no sound

But I JUDGE/THINK that it is the same wax

The wax ITSELF (the substance) is what HAS the sensible properties but is only improperly identified by them





Judgment, intellect, knowledge and the senses 

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