Inquiry into Reality and Cartesian Doubt
Reality as Inquiry
The phenomena of nature, such as lightning, eclipses, and fire, have been a great source of questions for human beings. Throughout history, humankind has proposed numerous answers and explanations for these phenomena, which can be categorized into three classes: mythical explanations, scientific explanations, and philosophical reasoning.
The Mythic Story
A myth is a narrative featuring extraordinary beings that explains the creation of some element of nature or of nature as a whole. These stories exist outside of historical time. Myths originated from the astonishment produced by natural phenomena, the causes of which were unknown. For example, the movement of the sun was a matter of question. As a result of the mixture of curiosity and fear born from nature, these imaginative and fantastic stories emerged and were present in all known cultures.
There are many kinds of myths, but three stand out:
- Theogonies narrate the origin and lineage of different gods. For example, in Greek mythology, Apollo and Athena are the children of Zeus.
- Cosmogonies describe the origin of the universe. For example, the biblical account of Genesis explains the origin of the universe in seven days.
- Etiological myths explain the emergence of a new being or a part of reality. For example, the myth of Prometheus explains the appearance of fire.
Function and Meaning of Myth
Myths have been interpreted both literally and allegorically. Myths and stories can have great literary value and deep symbolic and allegorical significance.
- Literal Interpretation: Myths are taken as true and valid explanations of reality. In societies where myths are effective and remain alive, they provide role models and their function is to bond and unite the members of a tribe, allowing it to distinguish itself from others.
When myths are taken as true, they can lead to foolish actions. An example of this is that people still throw coins into fountains believing that it will give them good luck.
When myths are believed, they can become a mental prison. - Allegorical Interpretation: Myths are seen from a literary point of view. They are no longer believed to be true, but they are interpreted.
Myths have inspired artists of all ages, and even philosophers have turned to them for inspiration.
Cartesian Doubt
Among the philosophers who defend the possibility of knowing is the Frenchman René Descartes, who addressed several arguments supporting the thesis that the world cannot be known and that it is possible to doubt all the knowledge we have. His purpose was to refute these arguments.
Descartes raised doubts about the knowledge of the world and also questioned mathematical truths. Thus, his questioning covers all knowledge.
Concerns
- Knowledge of the World: Descartes questioned learning about reality through the senses. He believed that the senses can deceive us at any time, as seen when a person experiences illusory perceptions. Despite this, Descartes considers that while the senses may deceive us, we cannot doubt that they refer to a concrete reality. While experience may be misleading, it is nonetheless real.
- The Dream Argument: Another question that arises is: How can we know we are not dreaming? Could it be that our experiences are a product of a dream and not actually happening? Although sensations seem very real, they can also be so in dreams. There are very vivid dreams that can confuse us about reality.
In conclusion, the information provided by the senses about the world can be false; it may have been generated in a dream. - Doubts about Mathematical Truths: Descartes realizes that mathematical statements such as “a square has four sides” are not affected by dreams or illusions. They are irrefutable truths.
Descartes then introduces the hypothetical figure of the evil genius: a deity capable of deceiving us about anything, even if it is false. For example, a statement as obvious as “a square has four sides” could be false, but the evil genius could be deceiving me, making me believe it is true.
By introducing the evil genius, Descartes’ doubt extends not only to perceptions but also to mathematical reasoning and logical truths.
Through doubt, Descartes did not intend to provide arguments but to achieve absolute certainty that no doubt could challenge. Descartes came to doubt all the contents of thought, but what he could not doubt was that he thinks. Not even an evil genius could misrepresent the fact of thinking. And if one thinks, then one exists. Descartes summarizes this conclusion with the famous phrase: “I think, therefore I am.” One can doubt everything thought, but not the act of thinking and the self that thinks. The act of thinking is indisputable and irrefutable proof that we exist.
All the doubts that Descartes introduced do not lead to skepticism but to an absolute certainty. Skeptical doubt was overcome by Descartes.