From 1/28: "I think therefore I am"

Having now worked through Descartes' first three meditations, we know at least one thing for certain: so long as we are thinking, we can be absolutely certain of our existence. So where do we go from here? Descartes goes on to argue that he is essentially a thinking thing before setting upon the task of disproving the existence of the so-called evil genius. So does he pull this all off? Are there any mistakes in his reasoning? Can he ever really get outside of his own mind? And what might it mean if he can't? Whatever you're thinking, at least you can be sure you exist!

For 1/28: Descartes' Meditations I-III

In his first three Meditations, we find Descartes desperately searching for anything he can know for certain. After placing nearly everything into doubt, he finally touches upon the one thing that cannot be denied: his own existence. Given the extreme nature of his doubt, however, he must then go on to prove the existence of God. That said, does Descartes go too far here? Is he right to essentially throw out everything that he has come to know? And what's the point of all this? What do you think Descartes is looking to accomplish? Let us know what you think.

From 1/21/09: The Birth of Modernity

In our first meeting, we considered what defines the modern period and what distinguishes modern philosophy from its ancient and Medieval predecessors. So what do you take to be most important in triggering modernity? The weakening hold of the Catholic Church? The rise of science? Political unrest? And what do you expect the focus of modern philosophers to be? Modernity, here we come!