Rationalism and Empiricism

1. In the following text, Descartes identifies his four rules of method. Pick each out and explain his reasoning in stipulating each rule.

"The first was never to accept anything as true if I did not have evident knowledge of its truth: that is, carefully to avoid precipitate conclusions and preconceptions, and to include nothing more in any judgments than what presented itself so my mind so clearly and distinctly that I had no occasion to doubt it.

The second, to divide each of the difficulties I examined into as many parts as possible and as may be required in order to resolve them better.

The third, to direct my thoughts in an orderly manner, by beginning with the simplest and most easily known objects in order to ascend little by little, step by step, to knowledge of the most complex, and by supposing some order even among objects that have no natural order of precedence.

And the last, throughout to make enumerations so complete, and reviews so comprehensive, that I could be sure of leaving nothing out."

2. "Something is "clear" when it is "present and apparent to an attentive mind, in the same way as we assert that we see objects clearly when, being present to the regarding eye, they operate on it with sufficient strength"

"By "distinct" he means "so precise and different from all other objects that it contains within itself nothing but what is clear" (Ibid.)

Explain what Descartes means by "clear and distinct" ideas using the quotations above as your guide.

3. What is the outline of Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy?

4. Summarize "Meditation I: On What Can Be Called Into Doubt." Pay special attention to the three stages of concern: 1) the senses, 2) dreams, and 3) the evil genius hypothesis.

5. Descartes presents a representational theory of knowledge and perception in Meditation II. As Melchert identifies, this representational theory is presented in four steps:

i. We have no immediate or direct access to things in the world, only of our ideas.

ii. "ideas" must be understood broadly to include all the contents of the mind, including perceptions, images, memories, concepts, beliefs, intentions, and decisions.

iii. These ideas serve as representations of things other than themselves.

iv. Much of what these ideas represent, they represent as "out there," or "external" to the mind containing them.

v. It is in principle possible for ideas to represent these things correctly, but they may also be false and misleading.
(Melchert, p. 327)

6. Identify Descartes' argument for the existence of God.

7. In your best ability, compare the different empiricist views of Locke and Berkeley.

8. How does Hobbes establish that matter is the basis of reality? Why does he espouse materialism?

9. What is the difference between primary and secondary qualities according to Locke?

10. What is Locke's conception of the self? Why does he think this?