philosophy

 Please answer either question (1) or question (2).

1. Descartes argues that the only thing that you know with absolute certainty is the fact of your own existence. Explain how he arrives at this view and assess it: is he right?

2. Ayer thinks that knowledge amounts to “the right to be sure”. Explain what he means by that. Evaluate whether the view can cope with cases in which you thought you knew but in the end didn’t know (perhaps because you believed a falsehood).

Papers should be about 900 words long (no fewer than 800 and no more than 1000). Both the expository and the evaluative parts of the question ought to be answered. You should take our readings and discussion into account when writing your paper.