This is an essay plan for Descartes intuition and deduction thesis within the epistemology unit of Philosophy AQA a-level.
- unique and strong argument that will help you stand out
- Comes with a written introduction and conclusion
- 3 core arguments with back and forth counterarguments, to g...
ASSESS INTUITION AND DEDUCTION
God would be a posteriori, if we even accept he exists at all. Therefore, as Descartes’ fundamental
examples of deduction rely on a priori premises, we must reject his intuition and deduction thesis as a
whole.
Weakest Cogito Evidence we have thoughts (thinking). YES, we may not be
able to prove a self, but thought still occurs a priori.
criticism -
(we can
Hume: no continuous self Therefore we can’t necessarily accept his cogito but we
can accept intuition. Therefore his thesis still stands.
accept Evidence thoughts occur
intuition) We get ideas of God’s attributes from experiencing them in humans,
Trademark argument then augment them in our imagination. Hume argues the don’t
understand 'in nite' but instead something that is ‘not- nite'. In this
Hume: Copy principle way, Meaning we can explain God as a complex idea made up of
qualities that we have just adapted from experience of
Strongest
problem
Hume: Missing shade of blue humans.
Hume: so singular What about say a missing pitch in music or sweetness or sourness
of food etc. ALSO even if it were ‘singular’ it cannot be dismissed.
Is it? - Other examples This shade of blue would be a complex idea make from
Actually a complex idea previous impressions of other blues. This could be
compared to a pallet mixing paints, but in the mind.
Issue of TA God is not a deceiver Trademark argument is based on a posteriori concepts,
makes this therefore it doesn’t establish synthetic a priori. His
defeating Based on TA which doesn’t work proof of the external world is reliant on his TA.
∴ NO LOGICAL EXAMPLE OF DEDUCTION
We scarcely accept intuition, even though his exact example (cogito) doesn’t prove it, an altered version does. BUT we can’t accept
deduction as his trademark argument fails. It proves God’s existence through a posteriori means not through the a priori means he
aiming to prove with his thesis. Therefore, in his argument for the existence of the external world, the premise “God exists” is only
justi ed by his TA which we can’t accept. Therefore, God may exist but Descartes isn’t successful in proving that with deduction.
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