René Descartes Does Not Reject Sense Perception Essay

Renà © Descartes Does Not Reject Sense Perception Some have suggested that Renà © Descartes argues that sense perception relies on the mind rather than on the body. Descartes asserts that we can know our mind more readily than we can know our body. In support of this idea he gives the example of a piece of wax which is observed in its solid form and its liquid form. After pointing out the difficulties of relying on the senses of the physical body to understand the nature of the wax he makes this claim: [P]erception ... is neither a seeing, nor a touching, nor an imagining. ... [R]ather it is an inspection on the part of the mind alone (Section 31). 1 This quote is perhaps the most direct statement of the authors thesis on this subject.†¦show more content†¦Yet I am a true thing and am truly existing; but what kind of thing? I have said it already: a thinking thing (Section 27). Note here that Descartes equates mind, intellect, understanding, reason, and soul with thinking 3 . Having assured himself that he exists and that the essential nature of his self includes at least the capacity to think he then explored the question What else am I? (Section 27) and reached this conclusion: But then what am I? A thing that thinks (res cogitans). What is that? A thing that doubts (dubitans), understands (intelligens), affirms (affirmans), denies (negans), wills (volens), refuses (nolens), and that also imagines (imaginans) and senses (sentiens) (Section 28). Descartes acknowledges that thinking includes doubt, understanding, affirmation, denial, will (volition), refusal, imagination, and senses . Descartes has said the senses (sentiens) are a part of the process of thinking (cogitans), now he clarifies what he means when he speaks of the senses in the remainder of the text. Yet I certainly do seem to see, hear, and feel warmth. This cannot be false. Properly speaking, this is what in me is called sensing (sentire). ButShow MoreRelatedDescartes : Who Are You?1051 Words   |  5 Pages The Brains SOCRATES: Where am I? Am I finally in heavenly realm? DESCARTES: Who are you? And where are we? SOCRATES: I am Socrates. The last thing I remember is taking hemlock and dying. DESCARTES: Are you for real? I must be dreaming†¦ On a shelf in the lab, lies two vats of formaldehyde, one containing the brain of Socrates, and the other containing the brain of Rene Descartes. The two brains are wired up to each other so that they can communicate with each other about their current situationRead MoreEssay about The Life of Renà © Descartes582 Words   |  3 PagesTouraine France, Renà © Descartes was a very significant philosopher, mathematician, scientist and writer. He attended a Jesuit college at La Flà ¨che. Later named â€Å"The Father of Modern Philosophy†, much of western philosophies are a reaction to his books which have been studied meticulously for centuries. 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