Intuition and Deduction Quiz

what is the intuition and deduction thesis?

the idea that some knowledge is gained through intuitive understanding and reasoning, rather than solely through empirical evidence or logical deduction.

What is the difference between intuition and deduction?

Intuition is the immediate grasp of truth without the need for reasoning, while deduction is the process of logically inferring conclusions from premises.

What are clear and distinct ideas?

Clear idea - ‘present and accessible to the attentive mind’

Distinct idea - clear and sharply separated from other ideas, allowing for precise understanding.

What is Descartes’ cogito argument?

“I think, therefore I am” (Cogito, ergo sum). By doubting, one proves their own existence as a thinking being.

Why is the cogito an example of a priori intuition?

It is self-evident and does not rely on experience but rather on the immediate recognition of one’s existence.

What are Descartes’ two main arguments for God’s Existence?

The Trademark Argument and The Ontological Argument

What is the trademark argument?

the idea of a perfect, infinite God must have been placed in us by God (Like a trademark eft by a creator). Since we’re infinite beings, we couldn’t have generates the idea of an infinite, perfect being on our own.

What is the ontological argument?

The concept of God as a supremely perfect being entails His existence. If God is all perfect and existence is perfection, then God must exist.

What is the cosmological argument?

the existence of the universe requires a necessary being (God) to explain why anything exists at all.

Why are these arguments considered a priori deductions?

they rely on logical reasoning from clear and distinct ideas rather than empirical observation.

How does Descartes argue for the existence of an external world?

Uses the wax example: we are still able to tell what wax is when all its sensory properties have changed because our understanding of the wax comes from reason which grasps its essential extended nature.

Why is this an example of an a priori deduction?

follows on from Descartes’ conclusions: We perceive objects as extended and existing. God, as a perfect being, wouldn’t deceive us about the existence of an external world do the external world must exist

How do empiricists challenge the cogito?

Hume - the self is not an independently existing thing but a bundle of perceptions

What is the issue with Descartes’ claim that the Cogito is certain?

It assumes a stable “I” when all that can be known is the existence of thoughts

How do empiricists critique the Trademark argument?

Locke argues that all ideas come from experience, so the idea of God could be constructed from human experiences of perfection

How do empiricists critique the Ontological argument?

Hume and Kant argue that existence is not a predicate that can be simply attributed to a concept, as existence must be demonstrated through experience.

How do empiricists challenge Descartes’ proof of the external world?

Hume argues that we can’t rationally justify belief in the external world but instead rely on habit and custom

What is an alternative empiricist explanation for our belief in the external world?

Berkeley suggests that reality consists only of perceptions, maintained by God, rather than an independent material world.

What is the potential issue with Hume’s critique of the self?

If the self is just a bundle of perceptions, what unless these perceptions into a coherent experience?

What is a problem with empiricist critiques of God’s existence?

Some argue that empiricism can’t account for necessary truths, such as mathematical or logical principles.

The three stages of Descartes’ method of doubt?

Illusion argument - senses can deceive us, so sensory knowledge is uncertain

Dream argument - We can’t always distinguish dreams from reality

Evil demon hypothesis - a powerful deceiver could manipulate our thoughts, making even logical truths uncertain

What is the purpose of the Method of Doubt?

To strip away all uncertain beliefs and find an indubitable foundation for knowledge.

Why does Descartes argue that God must exist?

Without God, there would be no guarantee that clear and distinct ideas are true, leaving room for doubt

How does God solve he problem of the evil demon?

Since God is perfect and not a deceiver, he would not allow us to be systematically deceived

What is the Cartesian Circle?

A circular argument in Descartes’ reasoning: He claims clear and distinct ideas are reliable because God guarantees them. But he proves God’s existence using clear and distinct ideas

Why is the Cartesian Circle problematic?

It seems to assume the reliability of clear and distinct ideas before proving God’s existence, making the argument potentially circular

What is Locke’s main criticism of Descartes’ rationalism?

Locke rejects innate ideas, arguing that all knowledge comes from experience.

How does Locke explain the idea of God?

He argues that the idea of God is constructed from experience (e.g. we derive the idea of perfection from comparing things in the world).

How does Berkeley challenge Descartes’ view of the external world?

Berkeley argues that material objects don’t exist independently of perception - only minds and ideas exist.

How does Descartes’ view of the external world differ from Berkeley’s?

Descartes believes in mind-body dualism. where the external world exists independently of the mind, whereas Berkeley denies the existence of material substance altogether

What is the weakness of the Dreaming Argument?

Some argue that we can distinguish dreams from waking life through consistency and coherence of experience