Clear and Distinct Ideas It seems to me

Clear and Distinct Ideas. “It seems to me that I can already establish as a general rule that all the things we conceive very clearly and distinctly are true. ” l l l l The cogito is the standard by which he judges all other forms & claims to knowledge. It is the qualities of clarity and distinctness in the cogito which guarantee it being true. Descartes accepts that there are ideas in his mind more clearly and distinctly defined than others – Maths appears far clearer than the objects in the physical world for example. Mathematical ideas appear so strong that only the existence of the evil demon could cause him to doubt them. “Clear and distinct” in the Meditations is important but not defined or explained in any depth or detail. Amounts to the general assertion that some ideas appear more self evidently true than others. Elsewhere Descartes talks about ideas operating on us with “sufficient strength”.

Clear and Distinct Ideas (2) l l l l “Sufficient strength” appears to mean that the more unavoidable an idea is the more it pressures us into accepting it as so. A toothache acts upon us with “sufficient strength” to make its’ reality inescapable unfortunately – it is thus “clear. The shape of a cloud resembling a cat possesses nothing like the same clarity – it does not press itself upon us with “sufficient strength”. It is thus not clear. A distinct idea is one where it appears to be independent of other ideas. 3 will not be confused with 4. They are quite distinct. The toothache will cause the surrounding area of bone and muscle to give pain – it will not so distinctly be on the tooth. It is not distinct. Clearly we can have clarity without distinctness – the toothache is very clear but it’s precise location is not so distinct.

Clear and Distinct Ideas. (3) l l l 1. 2. 1. The problem is how to relate clear and distinct to knowledge. We can have what appear to be experiences of certainty without something actually being the case. Under hypnosis a man may act like a chicken or believe a stranger is his wife. A madman may truly be certain that he is Napoleon. In neither case despite feelings of great subjective certainty do we have what anyone would call knowledge – quite the reverse! If Descartes really means to confine clear and distinct to the area of innate ideas rather than the external world he has two problems: There are so very few recognised innate ideas. How do we relate the innate ideas to the external world? We have circular reasoning. God is a clear and distinct idea but it is God who guarantees clear and distinct perception because God is no deceiver! Cartesian Circle!