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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Hakuna Matata Sec19 Group3 Descartes

Our group began to talk about the extent to Descartes's beliefs on what not to trust. We brought up his evil demon analogy of controlling doubt. We tried to determine the difference of sceptics and Descartes. We decided that Descartes was not a sceptic, he believed something in the world had to be true. His conclusion was that he found himself the one true thing that he could be certain of. This is because he had thoughts, and he determined that you cant have thoughts if you dont exist. We started to ask ourselves the question if it really is possible that we could all be dreaming at that moment? Though it may be possible we decided to constently think that things may not be real would just be a terrible way to live your life. Most of us agreed that we agree with Descartes's method of cartesian doubt, but its hard for us to accept it because then we would live our lives with alot of doubt.

4 comments:

  1. Our lecture today really brought up some interesting points on the way we could live our lives full of doubt versus the way we do live our lives.

    Question on John Locke and Thomas Reid:
    factual-what did John Locke believe made someone the same person over time?

    Discussion- Do you believe that only what we can remember makes us who we are?

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  2. Tyler Tilson11:56 PM CDT

    While Descartes' Method of Cartestian Doubt seems like the safest, most logical way to live life, I cannot help but feel that that would leave me feeling very empty on the inside.

    Factual: How did Thomas Reid feel about Locke's belief in personal identity?

    Discussion: If a person has multiple personalities, and one of his or her personalities does something wrong(criminally or morally), can that person still be held responsible? Should he or she only be punished when in that specific personality or regardless of their current identity/mindset?

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  3. Trevor Broaddus10:32 AM CDT

    I thought that this method of Cartesian doubt was very interesting. I enjoyed hearing everybody's take on such a problematic as well as unorthodox way of living your life. I find this philosophy logical on some level, in that you can not fully believe that something is there if you have any doubt about it, because by definition, believing in something whole-heartedly requires a lack of doubt.

    Factual: Does Locke believe that we are the same people as when we were a baby?

    Discussion: After examining Thomas Reid's counter example, can you still say there is any logic in Locke's philosophy?

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  4. Bre Payne11:10 AM CDT

    I thought we had a good discussion though I really didn't like how Descartes had the idea of what if he didn't exist to the point that he had to meditate to convince himself that he did exist I thought he was a bit looney.

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