Descartes hails as a great victory over the “Evil Demon” the claim that despite every doubt, he cannot be deceived in thinking that he exists. Just what, in particular, does he really have the right to know, based on that claim? Discuss the consequences of Descartes’ argument in the context of his Meditations and overall philosophical project.

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Philosophy

Write an essay of about  2000-2500  words on one of the following topics.Explain clearly the views and arguments you discuss and your own view of the topic. You should also try to identify the greatest weaknesses of views and arguments you discuss, and whether you think they can be replied to.

Essays should  be typed double-spaced, with wide margins. Any standard format is acceptable (APA, MLA, Chicago). Your essay must be researched; two external sources are mandatory.

  1. The Imperfection Argument (74-76) offers Plato’s solution to the problems of the origin of our knowledge of ideas and their identification in the objects of sensory experience. Discuss and critque it, pointing both to the argument’s problems and to its consequences for metaphysics and epistemology. Do you believe Plato’s solution is the only possible or at least most likely true, or rather some other answers are available as well and perhaps more convincing? Justify your position.
  2. Descartes hails as a great victory over the “Evil Demon” the claim that despite every doubt, he cannot be deceived in thinking that he exists. Just what, in particular, does he really have the right to know, based on that claim? Discuss the consequences of Descartes’ argument in the context of his Meditations and overall philosophical project.