"Theories of Knowledge" Thursday 4/16

Descartes and Hume

Descartes' Skeptical Method-
-Dream Argument ("reality" may be a dream")
-Arch Deceiver Argument (A "demon" may be tricking us. If he was, he would have already developed a way for us not to realize this."
-The senses are unreliable (if something lies once, it could always lie, i.e. hallucination while high or dehydrated.)

Descartes said doubt everything and see what is left--->the foundation of knowledge. . . "Cogito ergo sum." (I think, therefor I am.)

Hume's (empiricist) criticism:
There is no "I" or self. What it really is, is nothing more than a bundle of perceptions (sensations, emotions, etc.)
Hume states there is no thinking thing or substance, and knowledge only comes through senses.

Descartes Proof (of God existing)
-A priori deduction---> "I exist" is "clear and distinct (incorrigible)
-"God" is a perfect being
-A perfect being must contain all perfections
-Existence is a perfection
-God exists

Hume's argument
-Need to ask of every idea "from what sense impression is the supposed idea derived."
-Impressions (lively) and Ideas (faint copies of impressions)
-The "self" is no impression, but only an idea.
-Cause and effect
a)priority in time- the cause precedes the effect
b)contiguity- objects touch
c)No necesary connection

Berkley (empiricist)
-Will or intention proves thinking exists
-The senses tempered (corrected by) reason can be trusted.