Study Questions for Descartes, Meditations Four and
Five
Meditation Four
- The first paragraph sums up the argument so far and
points the way forward. What does
Descartes say that he knows now, from which he can “progress ... to the
knowledge of other things?
- Descartes then turns to an apparent conflict in his
conclusions: He has concluded that
God is not a deceiver, and that his mental faculties come from God, yet he
knows that he makes mistakes. Why
isn’t God to blame for Descartes’ errors?
(The answer is developed in the rest of this meditation.)
- Why does Descartes think that his will is, in a
sense, just as great as God’s? (P.84 top half)
- How is the will involved in Descartes’ errors?
(Pp.84-85)
- How does Descartes think he can avoid errors? (P.85)
- Why does Descartes not blame God for his (Descartes’)
propensity to make errors? (Pp.85-86)
- How (again) does Descartes think he can avoid errors
and discover truth? (Pp.86-87)
Meditation Five
1) Descartes
says (p.87) that he wants to see which of his ideas about material things are
clear and distinct and which are confused.
What does he say about this?
Which of his ideas (about material things) are clear and
distinct?
2) So
what is “the essence of material things?”
(The title of Meditation Five seems to promise us an answer to this
question.)
3) How
does Descartes attempt (pp.88-90) to prove the existence of God (again)? Do you find his reasoning sound? (If not, can you explain why not?)
4) Why
does Descartes think that all of his “true and certain knowledge” depends on
his knowledge of God? (Pp.91-92)