Problem Number 3

Perfection can only come from perfection.

This is problematic for a number of reasons.

Firstly Scottish Philosopher David Hume finds this statement

That perfection can only come from perfection

Very odd indeed.

This is because he claims that you can arrive at the idea of God

By magnifying ones own qualities

For example it would be strange to think

That you can not have the concept of a very strong man

If you yourself are not strong

Because all you would have to do to think of someone

That is stronger than you

David Hume states that the same applies for God

All one has to do

Is look at certain qualities in himself

Such as goodness wisdom and strength

And then think of something with those qualities magnified to a great extent.

Secondly Descartes is also critiqued

Because he had not yet proven that the belief

Perfection can only come from perfection is without doubt

It could could be the case

That the evil demon has just deceived Descartes

Into thinking that God is the source of his concept of a perfect being

When really he was the one who gave it to Descartes

Sorry Descartes but it looks like the demon has caught you out on this one.

Problem number 2

The mind exists separate to the body

One major problem with this claim

Is that there is a great deal of evidence

To suggest that our thoughts are easily affected by things

Such as brain damage

Caused by the results of drugs accidents and disease

Scientists even went as far to prove this point

As to damage certain parts of monkeys brains

In order to see what changes are made to their way of thinking

Unfortunately the monkeys did not rise up and start a monkey revolution

Like in Rise of the planet of the Apes

But instead experienced massive changes in behaviour

Caused by brain damage

Despite all this

The point is that there is clear evidence to show

That our thoughts and the body are much more closely linked

Than Descartes first suggested.

Problem number 1

I am think, therefore I am

This is one of most critiqued claims of Descartes Theory

The most famous criticism against this claim

Is raised by the Philosopher

Pierre Gassendi

And is later expanded on by mustachio

Fredrich Nietzsche

Who states that Descartes is wrong to say that

I am thinking since he has not proven that it is him that is thinking.

Since it could instead be the case that the thoughts he is having

Are coming from somewhere else

A more appropriate thing to say would be

There are thoughts

This however would not allow Descartes to go and expand to say that

I exist

Which ultimately means

He can not go on to prove that his beliefs

Are without doubt.

Meaning that the only thing we can be truly certain of is that

There are thoughts

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