Descartes theory Essay

As discussed by Wendy Hollway Descartes theory presents the liberal humanist as a unitary rational subject a stable entity whose entire perspective is formed from a logical stand point and everything is rationalised in order to be understood. Descartes present in the form of invisible reasoning a constant experience which requires one to enter existence by thinking he absolutely separates the mind and the body. Cogito seems to have a spiritual character because it supposes the entering of a will. The same concept of cogito was used by Saint Augustine to come to meeting point between creatures and the creator.
He found that his existence lay in his thought and therefore came up with the dictum cogito Ergo Sum which means I think, therefore I exist. Descartes undertakes to accept as true only those beliefs that have survived the test of radical doubt, namely that have survived all attempts at identifying a possible ground for disbelief (Longuenesse, 2008 ). Descartes regards cogito as the first to occur to anyone philosophizing conventionally. Using methodic doubt to test the cogito reveals its absolute certainty. According to Descartes, the existence of the body can be doubted but the existence of thinking is cannot. In an attempt to try and clarify cogito we find that we must use a first person formulation in order to ascertain cogito, therefore, the perspective on a third person cannot suffice. Secondly, the formulation must be stated in present tense for it to be adequate. Thirdly the certainty of cogito depends on how it is formulated on in terms of the persons thinking or awareness or consciousness. Here any mode of thinking is acceptable namely imaging, affirming, doubting, denying understanding, willing and doubting. Fourthly, Descartes does not accept formulations that proposing his mindbody dualism. Fifthly is to clear the debate if cogito is based on inference or intuition which involves two observations. One concerns the omission of the world ergo. The second observation argues that cogito might involve both inference and intuition.
Descartes shows that he thinks that thought occur from the influence of a substantial self which is actually refers to the existence of God. He distinguishes metaphysics with two different realities of subject and of object which are known from within and without respectively. Hence his general metaphysical views that the knowledge of objectivity is possible if its subjectivity conforms to its objects.
Some scholars view Descartes dictum of Cogito Ergo Sum as a mere enthymeme. They argue that when Descartes says I am thinking therefore I exist, he doesnt deduce existence from thought but recognizes it evident by intuition. He further points out that when Descartes refers himself as an evil demon that makes him go wrong whenever he computes then cogito is bound to have his premise not sufficiently stated. Hence cogito ergo sum does not express an argument but its just a mere preposition. On the other hand by casting doubt of his previous affirmations, it is seen as thinking using doubt as