Intro to Philosophy

Intro to Philosophy

Mr. Silva

Sophie’s World, Ch. 18: “Descartes”

You can put the answers on this sheet and email it to yourself, or you can put the answers in your notes in outline form. But you should put them in YOUR OWN WORDS. Don’t just copy right from the book – you won’t process the information like that.

1. Give a brief summary of Descartes background (year of birth, etc.) and where he lived during his life.

2. To whom did Alberto compare Descartes (it’s another great philosopher)? According to Alberto, how are they comparable?

3. Descartes was skeptical of the knowledge handed down from what time period?

4. Why is Descartes considered to be the “father of modern philosophy?”

5. What do we mean by a “philosophic system” and what is Descartes’ role in creating a new one?

6. Identify the two great questions Descartes sought to tackle with his work.

7. Give a brief summary of Descartes’ desire to better understand the relationship between the body and the soul.

8. Summarize Descartes method of answering a philosophical question (p. 236-237).

9. Other than philosophy, what academic interests did Descartes pursue?

10. Is Descartes an empiricist or a rationalist?

11. Why did Descartes feel it was important to doubt everything?

12. What conclusion did Descartes reach with his process of doubt?

13. How did Descartes justify the existence of God? How was that justification received?

14. What are the two substances in the world, according to Descartes?

15. What term applies to Descartes because he believes in two substances?

16. Why did Descartes believe that man is a “perfect machine?”