French Philosopher - Rene Descartes

Knowledge

French philosopher Rene Descartes doubted in such a way that, he hoped, would pave the way for the end of doubt and the beginning of absolute certainty. He had discovered by painful experience that much of what he has been taught and has taken for granted is false (Pojman 165). Descartes was a rationalist who believed that all truth could be known by the mind alone by inquiring within itself. He held the view that knowledge alone could be based on reason.

The method consists of doubting everything that can be doubted, and then, on the pure remainder of certain truth, beginning the process of constructing an indubitable system of knowledge. The resulting certainties discovered by the mind through reason and insight is a new type of rationalism (Pojman 166). Descartes noticed most of what he had perceived through his senses had deceived him. Beginning his method of doubt one must consider what can be called into doubt. How much of what we see can we doubt? Are my hands, eyes, or body real? It would be easy to say anyone who believes in heaven and earth is false (Pojman 168). In his search for the foundation of knowledge, Descartes proceeds to certainty by putting aside questions of little doubt. Deciding if one is able to perceive ones own body as real or imaginary will only lead us on a path of more questions that will only complicate the search for certain knowledge. In addition, the fact of doubting ones own existence is proven false by the ability to persuade us of something. We simply know we exist by our ability to think and conceive of ideas. Therefore, it can be considered Descartes'' argument "I am thinking, therefore I exist" is true because as the very conception of an idea in our mind we know we exist (Pojman 169). Now that we have put to rest the simple doubts we can furthermore search for our true foundation of knowledge. The search for who I am must go on so that nothing but what is certain and truthful shall remain. As noted before I have hands, and a face, and a body so I perceive myself as a man. Possessing more than a body, I can think and feel that which is not tangible to my body. Not every shape of body in the world has the ability to go beyond its physical shape. They do not have the capacity for thought. "I am, therefore I exist" is a product of the mind and reason put together. Even imagination is merely the contemplation of the shape or image (Pojman 170). Through the ability of our mind to doubt, reason, understand, and imagine, I know I exist. Being certain of our beliefs lays a true foundation in the search of us for knowledge

What does is mean to "know" something. In daily life we may say we knew it because I believed it, I had good grounds to on which to base my beliefs, and the belief was true (Pojman 205). It can be argued this fulfills the definition of knowledge when these three conditions are met. This is an example of our use of the word "know" in daily life. However, the first two cases offer good