René Descartes Does Not Reject Sense Perception Essay -- Philosophy Re

Ren Descartes Does Not Reject Sense Perception Some cast suggested that Ren Descartes argues that sense perception relies on the mind rather than on the body. Descartes asserts that we can know our mind more readily than we can know our body. In erect of this idea he gives the example of a piece of wax which is observed in its solid form and its liquid form. After pointing out the difficulties of relying on the senses of the somatic body to understand the nature of the wax he makes this claim Perception ... is neither a seeing, nor a touching, nor an imagining. ... Rather it is an inspection on the part of the mind alone (Section 31). 1 This quote is perhaps the most direct statement of the authors thesis on this subject. I contend that, based upon the arguments presented in the Second Meditation, Descartes shows that we can use our senses to care us understand the true nature of things, but the senses alone are inadequate to determine truth (since they are often deceived), and t hat all that may be known with certainty (truth) are those things we know by our judgment, thinking, and understanding of them in our minds. Descartes argument does not necessarily reject any role of the senses in the exploit of understanding. Steps of the ArgumentDescartes began his argument in the First Meditation by questioning or calling into doubt everything that he knew. After examining all the things he thought he knew about himself and the world he concluded (the details of that argument are beyond the scope of this essay) that the only thing he knew with unconditional certainty is that I am, I exist (Section 25). Having established the fact that he has a real existence of some kind he then give tongue to But I do not yet understand... ...y some shape, of being enclosed in a place, and of filling up a space in such a way as to exclude any other body from it ... followed by other features not related to extension. (Section 26) 5 Perceptio a related interchange perceptio ne in I11 is translated as knowledge, or perception. In II5 vel odoratu percipi is translated as the sense of smell. In II7 percipiat is translated perceive or know. In II11 perceptiones is translated perceptions, notions, or ideas. In II12 sol mente percipere is rendered it is the mind alone which perceives it (Veitch), it is my mind alone which perceives it (Haldane), I perceive it through the mind alone (Cress). In II14 perfectius evidentiusque percipiebam is translated evident and perfect conception (Haldane), clearer and more perfect perception (Veitch), and perceived more perfectly and simply (Cress).