intro to philosophy essay

Introduction

Thesis: Jonny does not really know that he is sitting in a bar, drinking a beer, and talking with Carol. Knowledge requires certainty

Thesis support: Descartes’ dream problem (Meditation I) shows that sensory experiences can be doubted.

If certainty is required, and dreaming is possible, then Johnny’s belief falls short of knowledge

Body 1: explanation and application of the dream problem

explain the dream argument

Descartes would argue he does not know, support for the dream argument

The dream argument implies that you can never be certain of whether or not you are currently dreaming or in reality. (at any given time, one could be dreaming and, at that time, you can’t know for sure whether you are or not.)

Support: we often have vivid dreams, very similar to real life, no real way to tell if your awake right now, beliefs based on senses are uncertain.

This undermines his knowledge claim because he can not be certain on wear or not he is dreaming.

Body2: Apply the dream problem to Johnny

Johnny’s belief is based on sensory experience (he sees himself at a bar with her but that is a sensory experience and our senses lie)

However those same sensory experiences could also be happening to him in a dream. Because he can not be certain he is not dreaming and assuming knowledge requires certainty he lacks knowledge

Body3: what he can be certain of, he is a being that thinks

I think therefore I am.

Descartes says that sensory experiences are doubtable but he can be certain of the fact that he is a being that is thinking

The only thing Johnny can be certain of is that he is a thinking being

Even if he were dreaming he can still be certain that he is still thinking

Body4: Humes is stupid

Descartes: Senses are useful for practical life and they incline us toward belief, but do not give certainty

Hume: argues all human ideas originate from sensory impressions (sensory experiences) but senses sometimes mislead us. Their role is practical, and not always perfect.

Although the sense may be strong and compelling, they do not provide rational certainty about the external world.

Johnny’s belief may be reasonable, but it does not rise to the level of knowledge.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, if knowledge requires certainty, Johnny does not know that he is sitting in a bar drinking a beer with Carol.

The dream problem shows that his belief could be false

Even though Johnny may reasonably believe he is awake, that belief alone is not enough for knowledge under the standard of certainty.