The 17th Century philosopher Rene Descartes is often considered the father of modern philosophy. HisMeditationsare a staple in introductory philosophy courses, and his views on the relation of mind and body have dominated philosophical discussion of this issue for three hundred years. John and Ken discuss the life, times, and philosophy of this fascinating French philosopher with Ron Rubin from Pitzer College, author ofSilencing the Demon’s Advocate: The Strategy of Descartes’ Meditations.
为什么笛卡尔被认为是有史以来最伟大的哲学家之一?笛卡尔最著名的问题是主观性，即，我们如何知道世界上有比我自己的感知和思想更多的东西。肯介绍了罗恩·鲁宾，Pitzer学院的教授。笛卡尔是如何走到必须证明自己存在的地步的呢?鲁宾说，笛卡尔的时代充满了对科学的怀疑和公认的智慧。他试图为知识提供坚实的基础。当时公认的智慧是亚里士多德式的，但它正在被破坏，而不是被取代。笛卡尔希望所有的知识都像数学一样确定。他的“我思故我和”论点的意义是什么?它不受怀疑。 After that, the next step is the existence of God.
Doesn't Descartes' method throw out a lot of truth? Should anyone live doubting so much? Descartes' point is not for everyone to live like that, but rather that everyone should radically doubt things at least once in their lives. Descartes thought he was a thinking thing, a mind, essentially. This was the source of Cartesian dualism. How strong is the cogito argument? Can we have doubts without a doubter? How much can we actually know about the Cartesian cogito?
Why is Descartes demonized today? Ken says that some people want to attack some of the presuppositions of Cartesian philosophy, such as separation of mind and body. Descartes was consistent about his method throughout his life. Descartes' method came to him in a dream. Descartes went to Sweden to tutor the princess there and died soon after.
Comments(3)
Harold G. Neuman
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 -- 3:06 PM
It appears to me he was aIt appears to me he was a better mathematician. His geometry was groundbreaking; his Discourse on Method, instructive; the Meditations, not so fascinating. Locke, Hume and others succeeding Descartes were more detailed philosophically, even when their notions overlapped, as they often did (for example, Locke's and Hume's ideas about ideas). Let's give credit where it is due, but not conflate something like I THINK, HENCE, I AM into something more than what it was. My take on that was, in fact: I THINK, BECAUSE I CAN. Which, to me, states the notion far more precisely.
Ian
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 -- 8:24 AM
I'm a philosophy major atI'm a philosophy major at Arizona State. I would appreciate a quick response to this.
Descarte believes in two different kinds of matter? Material substances, or the body, and mind matter, in the pineal gland? Is God another kind of matter for him?
Is non-matter another kind of matter for Descarte?
admin
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 -- 9:37 AM
不，不，不，不。你不，不，不，不。你真的应该问问你亚利桑那州立大学的教授，让他们帮你理清关于笛卡尔的困惑。