Descartes’ Method: Unveiling Truth Through Doubt and Reason
Descartes’ Method: A Foundation for Modern Thought
All modern philosophers are concerned with method because it is seen as the path to genuine thinking. This era marked the beginning of a new philosophy, one that challenged the past. It rejected the authorities of the past, emphasizing reason as the most important faculty, while acknowledging the limits of self-criticism. This new philosophy was modeled on the sciences and mathematics. Ideas were analyzed using a specific method to determine their truth.
The method is defined as a set of rules that, when followed, prevent one from accepting falsehoods as truth, providing the simplest path to knowledge.
Key Principles of Descartes’ Method
One of the main principles of the method is reason, the instrument that allows us to safely advance our knowledge. For Descartes, reason is paramount. The method guides us and reveals the function of reason. Another principle is the subjective nature, which dictates that the philosophical edifice must be built in an orderly manner, starting with one’s own thoughts. The principle of simplicity serves as a starting point, making it easier to reveal reality. Simplicity is self-evident and independent, while everything else depends on it. Deduction begins from this simple awareness.
The principle of mathematicism emphasizes rational knowledge, the knowledge of order and measure, as a model for other sciences. Science strives for a scientific ideal of accuracy. The final principle is analysis and synthesis, corresponding to two of the method’s rules. These are the instruments to reach the truth:
- Analysis: Breaking down difficulties into parts to arrive at simple elements.
- Synthesis: Rebuilding from the analyzed parts.
The other two rules of the method are:
- Rejecting knowledge that is not obvious and accepting only what is self-evident.
- Creating lists: Systematically listing each section in the analysis and synthesis for greater security.
Applying the Method to Metaphysical Problems
Once the principles and rules of the method are understood, they can be applied to metaphysical problems.
Doubt as a Tool for Discovering Truth
Doubt is the instrument of the Cartesian method used to find the truth. There are levels of doubt, progressing from specific areas of reality to complex and confusing concepts, ultimately aiming to reach simple truths. We doubt:
- The senses, as they sometimes deceive us.
- Our experiences, which could be a dream.
Universal Doubt and the Evil Genius
Descartes’s goal is to reach universal doubt, eliminating complexity and arriving at the truth. He acknowledges that mathematics seems to be an absolute truth, but even it could be questioned. He posits the possibility of an “evil genius” who could deceive us about mathematical truths, leading to universal doubt.
The Cogito: “I Think, Therefore I Am”
The first simple fact Descartes discovers is that he doubts, and from this, he infers his own existence. From this first evidence, the “I,” he rebuilds other realities using the rules of the method.
The Nature of the “I” and the Criterion of Certainty
The first reality is the “I” (Thinking Substance), which is never doubted. The goal is to establish the “I” as an obvious truth that does not need to be proven but serves as the foundation for other realities. However, when considering what is within the “I” (ideas), the question arises whether these ideas correspond to reality. To address this, Descartes establishes a criterion called the criterion of certainty, which allows us to distinguish truth from falsehood.
The Existence of God and the External World
Descartes seeks to demonstrate that the ideas of the “I” correspond to the world. However, finding that this approach is insufficient, he analyzes the types of ideas:
- Adventitious ideas: Come from the senses.
- Factitious ideas: Come from the imagination.
- Innate ideas: Come from understanding. Among these is the idea of God, which is infinite. This idea cannot originate from the finite “I,” so its presence implies that God exists.
Thus, we arrive at the second reality: God (Infinite Substance). God, due to his special attributes, cannot allow me to be mistaken about my ideas of the world. Therefore, God assures that my ideas are applicable to the world safely. This leads to the third reality: the external world. Descartes successfully demonstrates that our thoughts accurately reflect the world (extended, mathematizable, etc.).