The Cartesian Circle is Wrong - 1586 Words

Rene Descartes meditations on the existence of God are very profound, thought-provoking, and engaging. From the meditations focused specifically on the existence of God, Descartes uses the argument that based on his clear and distinct perception that cannot be treated with doubt, God does exist. In the beginning of the third meditation, Descartes proclaims that he is certain he is a thinking thing based on his clear and distinct perception, and he couldn’t be certain unless all clear and distinct perceptions are true. Before diving into the existence of God, Descartes introduces smaller arguments to prove the existence of God. For example, Descartes introduces in his argument that there are ideas in which he possess that exists outside of†¦show more content†¦The reason we cannot doubt the existence of God is because of clear and distinct perceptions that God exist. To conclude, because of clear and distinct perception, Descartes conveys that God exists. Though his argument seems intriguing, Descartes argument has been treated with dubious standpoints. The reason of doubt, better known as the Cartesian circle, argues that Descartes goes against his own word. The foundation of the Cartesian Circle consists of the argument that Descartes can only know that God exists and is not a deceiver if he knows that his clear and distinct perceptions are true. But he can only know that his clear and distinct perceptions are true only if he knows that God exists and is not a deceiver. This circularity comes from the basic fact that one hand believers of this circularity cites that Descartes states that we must rely on clear and distinct perceptions in order to prove that God exists; however, on the other hand, believers also proclaim that Descartes convey God must exist in order for him to develop the clear and distinct perceptions that he exists and is not a deceiver. Now that both sides have been introduced, the focus of this paper is to speak o n Descartes meditations about the existence of God, and the Cartesian circle. The standpoint I will be taking is to prove that the Cartesian circle has overemphasized the claim that Descartes is using circularity, and that this claim should be disregarded. DescartesShow MoreRelated Descartes’ Ultimate Purpose of the Meditations Essay1780 Words   |  8 Pagesof establishing a foundation for the existence of truth, falsity, corporeal things and eventually the establishment of the sciences. When viewed in this light, Descartes is accused of drawing himself into a ‘Cartesian circle,’ ultimately forcing this cosmological proof of God to defy Cartesian method, thus precipitating the failure of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth meditations. This approach to the meditations, in the order with which they are presented, allows me to state that a proof of theRead MoreDescartes Fourth Meditation On The Existence Of God1382 Words   |  6 Pagesplaced false ideas into our minds. The caveat to this counter argument is that in defense of Descartes’ Third Meditation, where he claims that God is not a deceiver, he presupposes the existence of God. This occurs through what is now termed the â€Å"Cartesian circle†. In this reasoning, Descartes claims that the idea of God being perfect is â€Å"true and innate† within him and something that he can access through clear and distinct thought. 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