Critique of René Descartes' Philosophical Ideas

• The speaker, Pikachu, is presenting a critique of René Descartes' philosophical ideas, specifically his method of transferring mathematical rigor to philosophy.

• Pikachu argues that Descartes' method is flawed because it attempts to apply the same level of rigor and certainty to all areas of knowledge, which is not possible.

• The speaker claims that the method of knowledge should be determined by the object of knowledge, not the other way around.

• Pikachu gives the example of trying to understand a person, where a mathematical or scientific method would be inadequate, and instead, a more nuanced approach is needed.

• The speaker criticizes Descartes' idea that we need to have absolute certainty and rigor in all areas of knowledge, which is unrealistic and would prevent us from making decisions in everyday life.

• Pikachu references Aristotle, who said that it's foolish to seek the same level of rigor and security in all matters, and that some areas of knowledge may not permit such rigor.

• The second critique is that doubt is not a good method of knowledge, and it can actually impede or block knowledge.

• Pikachu argues that the beginning of knowledge is admiration, not doubt, and that doubt can be a obstacle to understanding.

• The speaker gives the example of trying to understand whether one's mother loves them, and how doubt would not be a helpful approach in this case.

• Pikachu distinguishes between having reasons to doubt and voluntarily doubting without reason.

• The third critique is that Descartes' search for indubitable knowledge leads him to overlook certain necessary principles, such as the principle of non-contradiction.

• The speaker argues that Hume's doubts about the existence of the self or the ego are an example of how Descartes' search for indubitable knowledge can be flawed.

• Pikachu criticizes Descartes' arguments for the existence of God, specifically the argument that the idea of infinity in our minds must have been placed there by an infinite being.

• The speaker argues that the idea of infinity can be obtained by negating the concept of finitude, and does not require the existence of an infinite being.

• Pikachu critiques Descartes' ontological argument, which states that the idea of God implies God's existence, because God would not be perfect if it did not exist.

• The speaker argues that this argument is flawed because it tries to derive existence from a concept, and that existence is not a perfection that can be added to a list of divine attributes.

• Pikachu references Kant's critique of this argument, which states that existence is not a perfection, but rather the condition for perfections to exist.

• The speaker also references Tomás de Aquino's critique of this argument, which states that we cannot make an argument from the concept of God because we do not have direct knowledge of God's essence.- The speaker argues that René Descartes has deceived readers by claiming to doubt everything, yet he doesn't doubt the idea of God, which is a product of 1700 years of Judeo-Christian theology.

• The idea of a creator God is not innate, but rather a concept that originated from Judaism and Christianity, and not universally accepted throughout history.
• The speaker questions how Descartes can consider the idea of God as more evident than sensible knowledge, and how he can fit God into his understanding.
• Descartes inverts the natural order of knowledge, prioritizing the idea of God over sensible reality and self-awareness, which is the opposite of how humans typically acquire knowledge.
• The speaker criticizes Descartes' attempt to start philosophy from the self, or "yo," as it is impossible to form the concept of self without first being influenced by external things and others.