Descartes First Meditation Analysis

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Decartes overall mission throughout the first meditation is discover if anything is absolutely certain. In order for this to be accomplished Descartes needed to relieve himself of all prior beliefs that he had. “I must withhold assent from things that are not certain and indubitable just as carefully as from those which are obviously false.” This was done so that Descartes wouldn’t create anymore beliefs founded upon any false misconceptions. Descartes believed it was unnecessary to examine each belief individually instead he only needed to raise the slightest doubts about the basic principles that they’re founded upon. Descartes went about creating three arguments for doubting all of his previous throughout meditation one: the sensory doubt…show more content…
This has happened to everyone at some point or another, they’re riding in the car on a hot day and the road looks as if it’s wiggling in a wave formation in the far off distance. However, as the rider continues to get closer the rider starts to realize that the road isn’t actually changing shape, so they assume that it’s the heat waves that are causing that. Another similar scenario would be you’re checking out an open-house and you hear the sound of a piano playing in the distance and the faint smell of cinnamon and apple. To your dismay the home doesn’t come with a piano and there’s no cinnamon apple and pie instead the realtor has a music player playing in the background and a candle burning in the kitchen. If this were to happen to you it would more than likely end up disappointed and less trusting of your senses even if it’s only for a…show more content…
That belief would seem quite feasible to anyone, in fact many don’t ever question if they’re dreaming until the subject comes about. When they are questioned they often react by pinching themselves but it’s been shown that the body can simulate the pain one would get from being pinched while they’re dreaming. So this begs the questions how do we know we’re not dreaming? Is it because everything is so incredibly detailed down to the texture of this paper, the print on this paper and the objects within this room. Until one can be absolutely certain that they don’t have even the slightest bit of doubt that they’re in a dream that’s when they know they’re awake. Otherwise if there’s even the most remote possibility that one c One does have to take into account the fact that the brain is the only organ within our entire body that named itself. Everything from the clothing on our bodies to the glasses we wear were designed by the human brain. So whose to say that it’s not possible that everything else that surrounds is actually a creation of our own
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