The Rationalists: Descartes The Material World

The Rationalists: Descartes The Material World Jack Nichols, Living in the material world Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

Introduction What we have recovered: rational truths within the mind The central pillar of the argumentation: God is not a deceiver What remains to do: existence of the external bodies How much truth will we recover within the material world? Will we find in the external the kind of certainty that we found in the mind? Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

Outline Introduction: What obstacles do we have to pass to recover the material world? The existence of the corporeal substance as separated from the substance of thought The truth within the teaching of nature Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

Introduction The obstacles All we have for now: the truth of our clear and distinct ideas Why did we reject the existence of the material world? • Senses and feelings can be deceitful • Even if I feel like they originate in something external, it may be the case that they result from unconscious processes within me • Dream argument and Evil Genius • We need to provide answers to all these challenges Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

The existence of the Corporeal Substance Overview Structure of the argument: Imagination: the good probability that my body exists The essence of the corporeal essence is radically different from the essence of thought The corporeal substance exists. Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

The existence of the Corporeal Substance Step 1 : Imagination • Same starting point as in Med. 5: images of bodies – clear and distinct idea of the corporeal essence (extension in time) • The fact that I can imagine suggests that I am not only a thinking thing, but that I also have a body: • Imagination is different from pure intellection • Inference to the best explanation: body • This gives us only a good probability that we have bodies • We’ll need to reach outside of the realm of C&D ideas Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

The existence of the Corporeal Substance Step 2: distinction body / mind • Premises: • I have a C&D idea of the essence of thought • I have a C&D idea of the essence of bodies • Nerve of the argument: It is sufficient to be able to clearly and distinctively conceive one thing apart from another to conclude that they are essentially different • Conclusion: • - the essence of bodies is radically different from the essence of thought • - if bodies (including mine) exist, then they exist as separated from the substance of thought Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

The existence of the Corporeal Substance Step 3 : The corporeal substance Argument’s structure: Imagination, Sensations and Feelings indicate the existence of some external substance – passive Such external substance must be the corporeal substance • Nerve of the argument: God is not a deceiver ! • I naturally believe that imagination, sensations and feelings originate in external bodies • There is nothing hidden in me • SO: I can trust my natural belief Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

The existence of the Corporeal Substance Conclusion • Descartes’ main point: • Because the corporeal essence is radically different from the substance of thought • And because God is no deceiver • We are now justified accept the argument that our passive feelings and sensations come from something different from us and that this thing is the corporeal substance • BEWARE! Descartes has shown the existence of the corporeal substance – extension in time – of which we have a C&D idea – not that there external bodies with properties resembling our sensations!! Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

The Teachings of Nature The Truth within Sensations and Feelings Same argument again: Because God is no deceiver, there is some truth in my sensations and feelings about external bodies First truth: my whole self consists in an union of the body and the mind Second truth: sensations and feelings teach me what is harmful/ useful within the effect external bodies on myself • But they don’t tell me anything about the external bodies themselves! -- only about how they affect my body Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

The Teachings of Nature When are the senses deceitful? Sure fire mistake: Whenever I interpret my sensations as corresponding to properties of external bodies: Examples: color, heat etc.  Not God’s fault, but mine for misinterpreting the significance of the teachings of nature! Genuine possibility of deceit? Example: the case of dropsy  Descartes’ answer: strings of causes • Due to the structure of the union between body and mind, there is a genuine possibility of deceit within our senses Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

What we have recovered: • The existence of a corporeal substance, separated from the substance of thought • The existence of the union between body and mind which constitutes my whole self • The (most often) truthfulness of the teachings of nature concerning how external bodies relate to mine Conclusion on the Material World • What remains unknown • The properties of external bodies • No perfect method for discerning the truth within sensations and feelings Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

Conclusion on the Material World • We haven’t recovered the world as we saw it before we started our meditations. Instead we have • Substance of thought • Corporeal substance – extension in time • Union in us Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

Conclusion on Descartes Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

The Rationalists: Descartes The Material World