methodic doubt

methodic doubt

      in Cartesian philosophy, a way of searching for certainty by systematically though tentatively doubting everything. First, all statements are classified according to type and source of knowledge—e.g., knowledge from tradition, empirical knowledge, and mathematical knowledge. Then, examples from each class are examined. If a way can be found to doubt the truth of any statement, then all other statements of that type are also set aside as dubitable. The doubt is methodic because it assures systematic completeness, but also because no claim is made that all—or even that any—statements in a dubitable class are really false or that one must or can distrust them in an ordinary sense. The method is to set aside as conceivably false all statements and types of knowledge that are not indubitably true. The hope is that, by eliminating all statements and types of knowledge the truth of which can be doubted in any way, one will find some indubitable certainties.

      In the first half of the 17th century, the French Rationalist René Descartes used methodic doubt to reach certain knowledge of self-existence in the act of thinking, expressed in the indubitable proposition cogito, ergo sum (“I think, therefore I am”). He found knowledge from tradition to be dubitable because authorities disagree; empirical knowledge dubitable because of illusions, hallucinations, and dreams; and mathematical knowledge dubitable because people make errors in calculating. He proposed an all-powerful, deceiving demon as a way of invoking universal doubt. Although the demon could deceive men regarding which sensations and ideas are truly of the world, or could give them sensations and ideas none of which are of the true world, or could even make them think that there is an external world when there is none, the demon could not make men think that they exist when they do not.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Methodic doubt — ( Hyperbolic doubt ) is a systematic process of being skeptical about (or doubting) the truth of one s beliefs, which has become a characteristic method in philosophy. This method of doubt was largely popularized in the field of philosophy by… …   Wikipedia

  • Doubt — • A state in which the mind is suspended between two contradictory propositions and unable to assent to either of them Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Doubt     Doubt      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Doubt — This article is about the mental state. For other uses, see Doubt (disambiguation). Part of a series on God …   Wikipedia

  • methodic — I. mə̇ˈthädik, meˈ , dēk adjective Etymology: Middle French methodique, from Latin methodicus, from Greek methodikos, from methodos + ikos ic 1. obsolete : methodical 2 2. : done or acting with method : of or relating to method …   Useful english dictionary

  • Cartesian doubt — Certainty series Agnosticism Belief Certainty Doubt Determinism Epistemology Estimation Fallibilism Fa …   Wikipedia

  • Philosophical skepticism — For a general discussion of skepticism, see Skepticism. Philosophical skepticism (from Greek σκέψις skepsis meaning enquiry UK spelling, scepticism) is both a philosophical school of thought and a method that crosses disciplines and cultures.… …   Wikipedia

  • cogito, ergo sum — /koh gi toh erdd goh soom /; Eng. /koj i toh err goh sum , er goh/, Latin. I think, therefore I am (stated by Descartes as the first principle in resolving universal doubt). * * * (Latin; I think, therefore I am ) Dictum coined in 1637 by René… …   Universalium

  • Certitude — • The word indicates both a state of mind and a quality of a proposition, according as we say, I am certain , or, It is certain Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Certitude     Certitude …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • philosophy, Western — Introduction       history of Western philosophy from its development among the ancient Greeks to the present.       This article has three basic purposes: (1) to provide an overview of the history of philosophy in the West, (2) to relate… …   Universalium

  • Meditations on First Philosophy — First Meditation redirects here. For the jazz album, see First Meditations. The title page of the Meditations …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”