55 Descartes’ method of doubt differs significantly from the scholastic philosophy of the Middle Ages, which usually tried to bring faith and reason together. The scholastic tradition saw reason as a support system for divine revelation and ecclesiastical authority. On the other hand, Descartes sought to transcend all religious sentiments and establish the ultimate intellectual foundation of knowing. The foundation of Enlightenment philosophy was to be built upon a totally human-reason-based system of knowledge. He held the view that everything had to be questioned including faith, tradition, and authority as trustworthy sources of information revolutionized European philosophy by inspiring other thinkers to base all of their conclusions only on reason. This tactic opened the door for a more empirical research style, which would substantially impact the role of religion in intellectual life.41 Cogito Ergo Sum Cogito, ergo sum, or “I think, therefore I am,”42 is ultimately achieved through the use of doubt. Descartes questioned everything, including the truth of the outer world, the precision of his senses, and even the fundamentals of mathematics, before concluding that there is only one thing that is definite. His reasoning capacity is one thing. The fact that he doubts and ponders shows that he is a thinking being, even if all of his beliefs are wrong and if a malicious demon is tricking him about the world’s existence. This conclusion is undeniable since a thinking subject must exist to be duped or harbor doubts.43 ‘Cognito’ is the earliest and most significant certainty in Descartes’ theory of knowing. It functions as the foundation upon which all other knowledge is built. Descartes asserts that cogito is an unquestionable, self-evident notion that is “clear and distinct.” Since it is obvious and unambiguous, this idea is an excellent place to start for his method of knowing. It demonstrates that reason may still be utilized to identify certain truths, even when sensory experience is unreliable. Descartes’ understanding of cogito not only sets the foundation for knowing but also exemplifies his rationalist philosophical position. He asserts that reason is superior to all other faculties, including faith and sensory perception since reason alone is capable of producing certain and indisputable knowledge.44 The Enlightenment, a period when individuals thought human reason could advance society and help people understand the outside world, came to symbolize a time of over reliance on reason. A contributing element to the gradual secularization of European philosophy was Descartes’ conceptual shift from tradition and religion to reason as 43 Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, 18. 44 Jonathan Bennett, A Study of Descartes’ Philosophy (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 2007), 112. 42 41 Stephen Gaukroger, Descartes: An Intellectual Biography (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995), 222.
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