Outline and explain Descartes’ argument in the first meditation that even mathematical belief is subject to doubt.

Descartes Meditations

Introduction to Philosophy

For this paper, your task is exegetical. You need to explain an argument in the Meditations. This means you must say what is being argued for, and explain how the argument works. What is the conclusion? What are the premises? How do the premises support the conclusion? In outlining the argument, you should feel free to use interpretations of the arguments we have outlined in class the point of this assignment is to outline an argument as clearly and accurately as possible and,thereby, to demonstrate your understanding of the text.

Topics:

1) Outline the overall argument of the first meditation. The conclusion of this argument (which is  reached at the top of p.15) is that all of Descartes’ existing beliefs are susceptible to doubt. But what is the reasoning used by Descartes to reach this conclusion? In outlining this reasoning, you should mention the categories of beliefs discussed by Descartes, and explain his arguments that these categories of belief can be doubted.

2) What is Descartes’ ‘Dreaming Argument’, and what is its role in the broader argument of the first meditation? In answering this question, you will need to outline the Dreaming Argument,stating its conclusion and how this conclusion is reached. You will also need to explain why Descartes makes this argument. To do this, you’ll need to explain the context of the argument,and explain how the conclusion of the argument contributes to Descartes’ argument that belief based on the senses is subject to doubt.

3) Outline and explain Descartes’ argument in the first meditation that even mathematical belief is subject to doubt. In order to successfully explain this argument, you will need to discuss its structure. To do this you will need to mention the two possibilities Descartes considers in making the argument, and explain how considering these two possibilities leads him to the conclusion that even mathematical belief is subject to doubt.