Philosophy
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Descartescosmologicalargument-12.pptDescartes’ cosmological argument
Argument from Perfection
- 1. I have the idea of perfection within me.
- 2. I am not perfect.
- 3. An effect must be at least as real as its cause.
- 4. The idea of perfection has more reality than I do, since I’m imperfect.
- 5. Thus, the idea of perfection was caused by something perfect.
- 6. Thus, something perfect exists.
Argument from Infinity
- 1. I have the idea of the infinite within me.
- 2. I am not infinite. (I’m finite)
- 3. An effect must be at least as real as its cause.
- 4. The idea of infinity has more reality than I do, since I’m finite.
- 5. Thus, the idea of the infinite was caused by something infinite.
- 6. Thus, something infinite exists.
Synthetic Propositions
- Propositions whose truth value is not determined solely by the concepts involved.
- “The predicate goes beyond the subject.” W.V.O. Quine
Examples
- I have a ring on my finger.
- My hair is blonde.
- I have the idea of perfection within me.
- The Astros are playing well.
Objection: the causal principle
- Descartes assumes that everything has a cause. Is this true?
- It is not analytic, so it is not certain
- Quantum mechanics suggests some events have no strict causes.
- Ex. Radioactive decay, maybe some gasses (Poincare’s Conjecture), etc.
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Bad Start, Good Finish Objection
“My view of perfection is different from yours.”
- Suppose something which neither of us can think of satisfies both our views of perfection. Then, we do have the idea of perfection; it’s just not quite right.
- Does Descartes need our idea of perfection to be perfect?
- He never says we all have the same idea
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Perfection
- Our ideas can be wrong.
- My idea of a tetrahedron might not be accurate, but I still have an idea of a tetrahedron.
- Different views about what a concept means do not show that the concept doesn’t exist.
