Philosophy of Descartes and Hume

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Questions and Answers

What does 'Cogito, ergo sum' mean?

I think, therefore I am.

Which philosopher is known as the founder of modern philosophy?

Rene Descartes (correct)

Socrates

Immanuel Kant

David Hume

What is David Hume's famous assertion about the self?

The self is a social construct.

The self is a constant entity.

The self is an illusion.

There is no self. (correct)

How does Immanuel Kant describe our perception of the world?

We perceive and experience an organized world of objects, relationships, and ideas. Signup and view all the answers

According to Hume, experiences resemble a unified and permanent self-identity.

False Signup and view all the answers

What is the process that Kant describes as essential for synthesizing knowledge?

The process of creating an intelligible experience from sensations. Signup and view all the answers

Rene Descartes stated that we must doubt all we were taught to accept without ___.

question Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between experiences and perceptions according to David Hume?

Experiences equal impressions plus ideas. Signup and view all the answers

What initiates the process of knowledge according to the provided content?

Experience Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what is the role of the self in constructing reality?

To actively create a familiar and predictable world Signup and view all the answers

What process is described as how the mind handles sensations and ideas?

Synthesis into a unified experience Signup and view all the answers

What must a person do to develop beliefs that are truly their own according to Descartes?

Doubt everything they have learned. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about knowledge in the content is accurate?

Knowledge is synthesized from organized experiences. Signup and view all the answers

How does the self contribute to the construction of reality?

By forming a consistent and coherent reality based on experience. Signup and view all the answers

What is Hume's view on the nature of self-identity?

Self-identity is an illusion derived from perceptions. Signup and view all the answers

Kant criticizes Hume by stating that humans achieve genuine knowledge through what process?

Weaving sensations into coherent understanding. Signup and view all the answers

According to Descartes, self-identity is connected to what aspect of an individual's awareness?

Awareness of one's mental processes. Signup and view all the answers

What key idea distinguishes Kant's philosophy from Hume's regarding human experience?

Kant acknowledges the role of sensations in forming coherent experiences, which Hume denies. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Rene Descartes

"Cogito, ergo sum." "I think, therefore I am."
French Philosopher
Founder of Modern philosophy
Mathematician and Scientist
Thinking Process: doubt all we were taught to accept without question, develop beliefs that are truly yours.
"If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.”
“We are thinking things.We are a thing that doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses; that imagines also, and perceives.”
Understanding the situation you're in. Doubt the accuracy of ideas. Affirm the truth of a statement.
“Your self-identity is dependent on your awareness of your usage of all these mental processes.If you are living passively and are, for the most of your life, unaware of these; it would not be possible for you to have a self-identity, a unique essence, a ’you’.”

David Hume

"There is no self."
Upon introspection, one would discover there is no self.
Experiences = Impressions + Ideas
Can never observe anything BUT the perception.
A bundle of different perceptions across life.
"All of our experiences are perceptions, none of these perceptions resemble a unified and permanent self-identity that exists over time.”

Immanuel Kant

"We construct our self."
German Philosopher
Modern Scaffolding of Modern Consciousness
Retaliation 1: “If Hume’s view proved true, then humans would never be able to achieve genuine knowledge in any area of experience: scientific, ethical, religious, or metaphysical.”
Retaliation 2: “Hume overlooked that our primary experience of the world is not in terms of a disconnected stream of sensations.Instead, we perceive and experience an organized world of objects, relationships and ideas.”
Retaliation 3: “We live in a fairly stable and orderly world in which sensations are woven together into a fabric that is familiar to us.And integrated throughout this fabric is our conscious self who is the knowing subject at the center of our universe.”
Knowledge: Begins with experience, does not follow that it all arises from experience.
Mind: Synthesizes and relates sensations. Process of creating an intelligible world. Makes a unified and intelligible experience possible.
The Self: An organized world of objects, relationships, and ideas. Synthesizes sensations and ideas into an integrated, meaningful whole.
“The self constructs its own reality, actively creating a world that is familiar, predictable, and, most significantly, mine.”

Rene Descartes

"Cogito, ergo sum." - "I think, therefore I am."
French philosopher, considered the founder of modern philosophy.
Also a mathematician and scientist.
Descartes believed in doubting everything you were taught and questioning everything to find your own beliefs.
“If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.”
He believed that our understanding of the situation we are in, doubting the accuracy of ideas and affirming the truth of a statement are all parts of developing a true self.
“We are thinking things.We are a thing that doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses; that imagines also, and perceives.”
He emphasized the importance of being aware of mental processes to have a self-identity.
“Your self-identity is dependent on your awareness of your usage of all these mental processes.If you are living passively and are, for the most of your life, unaware of these; it would not be possible for you to have a self-identity, a unique essence, a ’you’.”

David Hume

"There is no self."
Hume believed that upon introspection, there is no self.
Experiences = Impressions + Ideas
One can never observe anything other than perception.
He believed the self is a bundle of different perceptions throughout life.
“All of our experiences are perceptions, none of these perceptions resemble a unified and permanent self-identity that exists over time.”

Immanuel Kant

"We construct our self."
German Philosopher who built the foundation of modern consciousness.
Kant refuted Hume's claim saying Hume overlooked the fact that our primary experience of the world is not in terms of disconnected sensations.
“Hume overlooked that our primary experience of the world is not in terms of a disconnected stream of sensations.Instead, we perceive and experience an organized world of objects, relationships and ideas.”
He believed the world we experience is organized and not a stream of sensations.
He argued that our mind plays a role in constructing this reality through a process of synthesis and relating sensations.
“We live in a fairly stable and orderly world in which sensations are woven together into a fabric that is familiar to us.And integrated throughout this fabric is our conscious self who is the knowing subject at the center of our universe.”

Knowledge

Begins with experience, but it doesn't mean all knowledge arises from experience.
Synthesizes sensations and ideas into an integrated, meaningful whole.

Mind

A process of creating an intelligible world.
Makes a unified and intelligible experience possible.

The Self

A subject, organizing principle, and dynamic entity.
The self constructs its own reality.
“The self constructs its own reality, actively creating a world that is familiar, predictable, and, most significantly, mine.”

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Description

Explore the profound thoughts of Rene Descartes and David Hume in this quiz. Delve into Descartes' ideas about self-identity and existence alongside Hume's challenges to the notion of the self. Test your understanding of these foundational philosophers and their impact on modern thought.