A Dialogue Between Descartes and Me - 1851 Words

Me: Thanks for meeting me for coffee, Renà ©! It’s not everyday that you get to sit down with one of the most influential philosophers of all time! Descartes: Well thanks for the compliment, Matt! So, you what is it that you wanted to speak with me about? Me: I have spent some time recently studying the works of such philosophers as Clark, Chalmers, and Dennett, and I have a number of questions for you pertaining to your traditional views of dualist nature of the person based on what these men have had to say on the topic. Descartes: I see - I know these thinkers very well. My dualist views lead me to believe that the mind is a nonphysical entity distinct from our bodies. It can be associated with our consciousness and self-awareness and separated from the material attributes of our bodies. I have concluded that our minds do not follow the traditional laws of nature associated with our bodies, and are thus able to transcend the physical world to obtain knowledge. Now, what would you like to hear about specifically? Me: First, I would like to discuss the â€Å"hard problem† of consciousness with you. Descartes: Ah, yes. One of my favorite topics! The â€Å"hard problem† can be defined as the problem of explaining how any physical state is conscious, rather than unconscious. While science serves to explain the functions of the conscious physical world that we perceive, we are left with the question: Why is it conscious? This indicates that a simple explanation of consciousness is notShow MoreRelatedPersonal Identity - Memory Theory vs Body Theory vs Soul Theory1634 Words   |  7 PagesPersonal Identity REFERENCE: Perry, Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality. . Thesis . Identity refers to â€Å"a relation that everything has to itself and to no other thing†, and our perception of personal identity is the knowledge that we are ourselves, and who we have been – basically, that I am the same person I was last week, last year, etc. Leibniz’s Law states that if one thing (A) is identical to another (B) at one given point in time, they share the exact same properties, makingRead MoreA Conversation between Descartes and Searle1140 Words   |  5 PagesDescartes: One of my greatest powers is the ability to think, considering that it is essentially the only thing that I am unable to doubt. Searle: I partly agree to your statement, but I observe that you are inclined to ignore the concept of technology and the wonders that it can perform. Furthermore, just as you are able to persuade other individuals in thinking that they make decisions for themselves, it is probable that someone else influences you and the decisions that you make without allowingRead MoreDescartes Philosophy On Method And Meditations On First Philosophy1620 Words   |  7 Pagesphilosophers were different from Rene Descartes, Descartes had an opinion that if he could somehow disregard everything that he knew was real, try to doubt it and it would help him in life; â€Å"I will be happy to show in this discourse what paths I have followed and to represent my life† . In his book, Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes explains that his way of thinking is the best â€Å"no better proofs can be found than mine† , this shows that Descartes was really confident in hisRead MoreTheme Of The Disneyland Of Consciousness1720 Words   |  7 Pagesin the near future. The current generation is indeed running detailed simulations of its forebears due to the powerful nature of the computers. Furthermore, the current generation is more conscious of simulation technology thus drawing a red line between the original races with the current race which are the advanced descendants of an original race. Therefore, it is feasible to argue that we are currently living in a computer simulation era and as such we too have descendants who will run a numberRead MoreThe Question Of Human Existence1776 Words   |  8 Pagesbody. Renà © Descartes, often referred to as the father of modern philosophy, first questioned this idea. The 17th century French philosopher stood out for being an intense rationalist. Rationalism is the belief in knowledge by thinking reasonably, rather than emotionally. In a time when many philosophers backed up their arguments with religion, Descartes trusted in nothing more than logic. Due to rapid new discoveries in science, that were proving many old theories to be wrong, Descartes believed philosophyRead MoreThe Inconceivability Argument1247 Words   |  5 Pageswork Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous Berkeley is arguing against materialism, which views material substance to exist independently outside of the mind. Many philosophers, such as Descartes, believed materialism to be the most common-sensical view; however, Berkeley disagreed. So in his work he presents his idea of idealism, which follows that only minds and what’s in them exist. Berkeley seems to be very confident in this argument, seeing as he expresses though the dialogue of PhilonousRead MoreComparing Socrates And Descartes On The Proof Of Existence Of God1759 Words   |  8 PagesComparison between Socrates and Descartes on the proof of existence of God. Socrates is who established ancient philosophy with Plato and Aristotle. His philosophy effects Western system of philosophy. He was born BC 470 in Athens and his father was a sculptor and his mother was midwife. He focuses teaching other people that philosophical argument in his life. He doesn’t want material for teaching because he doesn’t have material greed. His goals are verifying the oracle, question our belief, andRead MoreRhetoric : The Power Of Discourse1689 Words   |  7 Pagesrhetoric. In the following, I will demonstrate how power in rhetoric is used through its many forms. The online Webster’s dictionary defines power as â€Å"the ability to act or produce an effect.† Power can be interpreted in many different ways but to me it carries both a good and bad aspect. In rhetoric we see how we can have the power to cause an effect by communicating and having specific intentions behind the message. Power entails so much more than what the word means. As a woman, I have the powerRead MoreDescartes Res Cogitans, Res Extensa, God2932 Words   |  12 PagesRecalling the distinction made earlier between primary objects of perception (objects of mathematics) and secondary objects of perception (apparent objects formed from observer-dependent sensory properties), Descartes investigates whether material objects exist by asking two questions: (1) do primary objects exist? and (2) do secondary objects exist? In answering the first question, Descartes draws on a distinction between imagining primary objects and conceiving of primary objects. He notes t hatRead MoreWho Am I? By Ian Burkitt Essay1609 Words   |  7 PagesBurkitt presents on what affects our self-identities in his book Social Selves, he delves into the history of sociology and the thoughts not just of early sociologist like Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, but he also brings in ancient Philosophers such as Descartes and Aurelius to emphasize the narratives of self that began long ago. To begin to fully understand what Burkitt was trying to get across in his book one must know the first question he asked, â€Å"Who am I?† This is not an easy question once Burkitt