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Descartes -- Meditations Four

9/2/2012. Modern Philosophy PHIL320. 2. Topics of Discussion. Given that God is a non-deceiving God, what is the source of Human Error?Given that God is a perfect and non-deceiving God, how can there be error?The distinction between Will and IntellectFreedom of the Will is not the liberty of indi

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Descartes -- Meditations Four

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    1. 9/2/2012 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 1 Descartes -- Meditations Four Charles Manekin

    2. 9/2/2012 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 2 Topics of Discussion Given that God is a non-deceiving God, what is the source of Human Error? Given that God is a perfect and non-deceiving God, how can there be error? The distinction between Will and Intellect Freedom of the Will is not the liberty of indifference. Answer to our questions, and to further objections

    3. 9/2/2012 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 3 The Synopsis of the Fourth Meditation In the 4th Med. it is proved that everything that we clearly and distinctly perceive is true, and the nature of falsity is explained. No discussion of sin or of moral error, or of matters of faith, but simply of speculative truths which are known solely by means of the natural light.

    4. 9/2/2012 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 4 Review of Where We Are Now More is known about the mind than the body, and more about God than about the mind. Review of the proofs from Meditations 3: When I consider the fact that I have doubts, there arises within me the idea of a being that is complete. From the fact that I possess that idea of God, I infer that there is a God, and that every single moment of my existence depends upon Him. And since deception is an imperfection, then I recognize that it is impossible that God should ever deceive me. Hence, whatever I clearly perceive to be true must be true, i.e., I cannot be deceived by God into thinking so.

    5. 9/2/2012 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 5 But if I Cant be Deceived, then How Come I Make Mistakes? Two Problems: How is it possible that I make mistakes? How is it compatible with Gods goodness that I make mistakes?

    6. 9/2/2012 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 6 The Problem of Error and the Problem of Evil Metaphysical vs. Moral Aspect of the Problem of Evil Is Evil anything positive? Does Evil serve any purpose? Is Error anything positive? No it is a privation of knowledge. And we cannot search for purposes. It is compatible with the Divine perfection that some parts of the universe be less perfect than others, when considered on their own.

    7. 9/2/2012 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 7 Error based on intellect and will Faculty of Intellect/Understanding is limited. Faculty of Will is unlimited, infinite. It is in virtue of the will that I understand myself to be created in the image and likeness of God. Gods will is greater and more efficacious, but no more infinite.

    8. 9/2/2012 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 8 Freedom of the Will The will consists in our ability to affirm or not affirm something; it consists simply in the fact that when something is put forward by our consideration by the intellect, we are moved to affirm or deny it in such a way that we are not determined by any external force. For in order to be free, there is no need for me to be capable of moving both ways; on the contrary, the more I incline in one direction either because I clearly understand that reasons of truth and goodness point that way, or because of a divinely produced disposition of my inmost thoughts, the freer is my choice.

    9. 9/2/2012 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 9 Wherein Error Consists The Intellect is fine. The will is fine. The problem is that the scope of the will is wider than the intellect; but instead of restricting it within the same limits, I extend its use to other matters which I do not understand.

    10. 9/2/2012 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 10 How to Rid Yourself of Error? Refrain from making a judgment based on insufficient evidence (ideas that are not clear and distinct). Even if the judgment is true (lucky guess), it will not count as knowledge.

    11. 9/2/2012 Modern Philosophy PHIL320 11 Getting God off the Hook God is not the cause of error. I am. The will is fine; it its operation that is screwy. God does not concur in its operation in the sense that He is jointly responsible for error. And I can always suspend judgment so I dont have to make error.

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