René Descartes : I think therefore I am


To know whether corporeal things do really exists out side our mind, according to Rene Descartes, should understand first,what is Mind? What is True knowledge? What is External world? Who is God?

According to Descartes, True knowledge is which cannot be doubted. Until we doubt something means there is something which causing to it. He tried to uncover the knowledge, which cannot be questioned and doubted. In this process he finally stated that only thing which cannot be doubted and true knowledge is “thinking thing” that is “I am”.
this is known as cogito ergo sum (English: "I think, therefore I am").


The only thing, according to Descartes, which is undoubted and true knowledge, is “I think therefore I am”. Simple we can say as If you are thinking that fact constitute that what you are. Even we can unreliable on our sense data but cannot doubt that we are thinking that is our “consciousness” (cogito) about us.


Descartes says there is mind, because even though we may not perceive through our senses, we tend to believe something is causing to think about something beyond and also making us to believe undoubtedly. For this Descartes gives one example known as Wax Argument:


He considers a piece of wax; his senses inform him that it has certain characteristics, such as shape, texture, size, color, smell, and so forth. When he brings the wax towards a flame, these characteristics change completely. However, it seems that it is still the same thing: it is still a piece of wax, even though the data of the senses inform him that all of its characteristics are different. Therefore, in order to properly grasp the nature of the wax, he cannot use the senses. He must use his mind.( René Descartes; Discourse on the Method and Principles of Philosophy; 1637)


Here we take a reason which actually equating the differnce caused due to change in its form and sense data.that’s why Descates says sense may not be reliable but rational knowledge is undoubted and true.Some thing which equating or filling up to dispel any doubt caused by sense data(perception) in order to give undoubted/unquestionable knowledge is because of Mind.Now we can believe that rational thought is of Mind.


If mind is there then there should be some process by which data acquired by sense organs and are being formed into “ideas” and the interaction between their inconsistencies give rise to doubt. And to dispel that doubt needs true knowledge which cannot be doubted is given by the rational thought that is Mind. Here Descartes says that process in which the “consciousness” developed is internal world and the cause for getting sense data through our sense organs from out side the mind is “External World.”

Descartes also wrote a response to skepticism about the existence of the external world. He argues that sensory perceptions come to him involuntarily, and are not willed by him. They are external to his senses, and according to Descartes, this is evidence of the existence of something outside of his mind, and thus, an external world. Descartes goes on to show that the things in the external world are material by arguing that God would not deceive him as to the ideas that are being transmitted, and that God has given him the "propensity" to believe that such ideas are caused by material things. ( René Descartes; Discourse on the Method and Principles of Philosophy; 1637)


Finally,Who is God? Acording to Descartes there are two methods in acquiring knowledge-Perceptual knowledge and Rational knowledge-former is through sensor organs and the latter is of rational thinking.Descartes does not believe in External World terming external world is made of matter which is not constant and ever changing in nature and the kowledge acquired through sensor organs cannot be trusted.because it depends upon ever changing phenomena and exterior to us.there is no relatioin between the external world and the rational thought.thus,descartes believes the true knowledge is always “undestroyable” and “constant” as if no body could doubt and is unquestionable through out all times in all spaces.As God,which no body doubts and questioned.

Descartes proceeds to construct a system of knowledge, discarding perception as unreliable and instead admitting only deduction as a method., he offers an ontological proof of a benevolent God Because God is benevolent, he can have some faith in the account of reality his senses provide him, for God has provided him with a working mind and sensory system and does not desire to deceive him. From this supposition, however, he finally establishes the possibility of acquiring knowledge about the world based on deduction and perception. (René Descartes; Meditations on First Philosophy;III&V, 1641)


The knowledge based on external world and perceived through sense organs is not reliable because it raises doubts and seeks true knowledge. And knowledge which dispels doubts and gives us undoubted, unquestionable knowledge is only through “Rational thought”;which is God, because cannot be questioned and he(God) can have faith in reality of senses and working mind provided by him and he, God is benevolent, does not desire to deceive that reality provided by him and which is an answer to itself and to all.

By
Narsing.G.Rao

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/René_Descartes