Philosophy Course: Descartes - I think Therefore I Am

Philosophy. Study the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence.

René Descartes is often credited with being the “Father of Modern Philosophy.”

Descartes' project was ambitious: to find a new basis for all knowledge. In pursuing this aim, he set in motion many of the debates which are still part of contemporary philosophy: the nature of the human mind; the nature of our internal sense of ‘self’; the relation of mind to the body; the basis of morality; consciousness, and the question of whether non-skeptical knowledge is possible. In this course we will study his ideas in depth and then relate those ideas to the contemporary world.

Aims

The aim of the course is to provoke thought and discussion which will give you new perspectives on your own thinking processes, and the relation of your thoughts to other minds. A further aim is to introduce you to the thoughts of Descartes through a ‘close encounter’ with his writing. His style is (perhaps surprisingly) very accessible. His First and Second Meditation makes the reader feel as though they are on a journey of discovery with him as he searches for at least one certain piece of knowledge.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• identify key concepts in Descartes' philosophy of mind and the self
• discuss the historical background of the beginnings of modern philosophy
• read extracts from Descartes and other key theorists of the early modern period
• relate your ideas to our contemporary debates about human consciousness and the nature of the self
• discuss many of the ideas on mind as they apply to our personal and social lives.

Content

Historical context

In the 17th century, “consciousness” began to take on a uniquely modern sense. This transition was sparked by new theories of mind and ideas, and it connected with other important issues of debate during the 17th century, including debates over the transparency of the mental, animal consciousness, and innate ideas. Additionally, consciousness was tied closely to moral identity, with both French and Latin lacking even a linguistic distinction between consciousness and conscience (ie, a moral sensibility).

Style

In the Meditations, Descartes begins by telling the reader that he has discovered that many things he had believed were in fact incorrect, making him question the nature of reality. This foreshadows his dramatic thought experiment, in which he dissects and rebuilds the theory of knowledge.

Descartes' theory of the mind

Beginning from his famous dictum cogito, ergo sum (“I think, therefore I am”), Descartes developed a theory of mind as an immaterial, nonextended substance that engages in various activities or undergoes various states such as rational thought, imagining, feeling (sensation), and willing. Descartes considers three kinds of idea: innate ideas, adventitious ideas, and what are sometimes called factitious ideas. The categories are determined by considering the possible origins of the ideational contents presented or exhibited to the mind.

The self

For Descartes, the embodied self, like every other substance, is not directly apprehended; it is understood only through its properties. This theory puts in question the reality of even our own bodies. We will compare his theory of self to that of John Locke and David Hume.

Legacy

We will consider Descartes’ contribution to many areas of knowledge, including: scientific methodology, mathematics, ethics and the importance of the counter movements against Descartes mind/body dualism. One of the most profound effects of Descartes’ philosophy arose from his idea to examine the knower as a means to determine the scope and possibilities of human knowledge.

Intended audience

Anyone with a general interest in philosophy and the course themes.

Prerequisites

None

Delivery style

Lecture/discussion

Delivery mode

Online via the platform Zoom

Materials

Course notes are provided for each session. All course materials are provided electronically, via Dropbox. Printing services are not provided.

Recommended reading

There are no prescribed texts for this course. However, the following bibliography contains primary texts used in the course and texts for further study:

Descartes English translations

• 1984–91. Philosophical Writings of Descartes, 3 vols., trans. John Cottingham, Robert Stoothoff, Dugald Murdoch, and Anthony Kenny. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• 1989. Passions of the Soul, trans. Stephen H. Voss. Indianapolis: Hackett.
• 1998. Meditations and Other Metaphysical Writings, trans. Desmond M. Clarke. London: Penguin.
• 1999. Discourse on Method and Related Writings, trans. Desmond M. Clarke. London: Penguin.
• 2008. Meditations on First Philosophy: With Selections from the Objections and Replies, trans. Michael Moriarty. Oxford: Oxford University Press. A fresh translation with detailed explanatory notes.

Secondary material

• Alanen, Lilli, 2003. Descartes’s Concept of Mind, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• Broughon, Janet, 2008. “Self-Knowledge,” in A Companion to Descartes, Janet Broughton and John Carriero (eds.), Malden, MA: Blackwell, 179–95.
• De Rosa, Raffaella, 2010. Descartes and the Puzzle of Sensory Representation, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Hennig, Boris, 2007. “Cartesian Conscientia,” British Journal for the History of Philosophy, 15: 455–84.