Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes

Rene Descartes was first and for most a mathematician, and when coming up with his new mathematic theories he wanted to create a method to make knowledge completely certain and undoubtable by his critics, through his knowledge of philosophy he came up with methodic doubt. Methodic doubt is a way of finding out what knowledge can be trusted (essentially undoubtable knowledge) by systematically doubting everything. Descartes used methodic doubt because he believed that if we say that we know and understand reality or existence that our claim to knowing that must be based on irrefutable evidence rather then just assumption. He likened it to “taking a barrel of apples, going through them one by one and putting the sound ones back”.

Over the course of the years, society has been reformed by new ideas of science. We learn more and more about global warming, outer space, and technology. However, this pattern of gaining knowledge did not pick up significantly until the Scientific Revolution. In the sixteenth and seventeenth century, the Scientific Revolution started, which concerned the fields of astronomy, mechanics, and medicine. These new scientists used math and observations strongly contradicting religious thought at the time, which was dependent on the Aristotelian-Ptolemy theory. However, astronomers like Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton accepted the heliocentric theory. Astronomical findings of the Scientific Revolution disproved the fact that humans were

To begin, astronomy changed man’s view of man in the time of the Renaissance. According to Document C, the drawings of the Middle Ages had different beliefs than the time of the Renaissance. In addition, the Roman astronomer Ptolemy’s drawing is geocentric, and the Polish

In Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes takes the reader through a methodological exercise in philosophical enquiry. After stripping the intellect of all doubtful and false beliefs, he re-examines the nature and structure of being in an attempt to secure a universally valid epistemology free from skepticism. Hoping for the successful reconciliation of science and theology, Descartes works to reconstruct a new foundation of absolute and certain truth to act as a catalyst for future scientific research by “showing that a mathematical [rational-objective] physics of the world is attainable by creatures with our intellectual capacities and faculties” (Shand 1994, p.

Ideas in science, especially astronomy and human anatomy, changed how many viewed man and led to a path of enlightenment. One example of the variation in science was the shift from a geocentric to a heliocentric universe. Pre-renaissance the Catholic Church conveyed that the center of the universe was earth. At the time, arguing with the church was considered a sin, so rarely did anyone try to contradict this idea. The geocentric viewpoint had been long affirmed until Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer, reversed this idea, solely based off of mathematics and observations. Promptly after during the Renaissance, scholars studied Ptolemy and realized the idea that the center of the universe was actually the sun, not the earth. The heliocentric doctrine that Copernicus came up with was first denied because the Catholic church had claimed the earth, and humans, were at the center of everything, and the universe revolves around man. This was a real epiphany to people at the time because it made them rethink that perhaps without them being the center of the universe they aren't the most important things. This helped to expand means, though out of just religion and themselves. These ideas changed how many viewed man because it was proven that humans were not the center of the

The Hellenistic time period created the foundation for many modern ideas regarding, in particular, the topics of Astronomy and Medicine. These ideas could be found throughout the study of the size and distance of the sun and moon or the learning of human anatomy. Ancient philosophers used many techniques to study the many aspects of the world. Many of these techniques resemble scientific methods used today.

It was mainly the Copernican theory that caused many to perceive the Scientific Revolution as a war on tradition. As far as understanding the universe was concerned, the medieval world depended on the work of Claudius Ptolemy (c. 90-168), the

All things considered, we can resolve that reality is anything that is truly the case. In order to describe what is real, we must first reduce what we think we know about the world to its most basic foundations. Descartes begins his Meditations by first open-mindedly submitting himself to the “demolition” of his beliefs. Any belief that he believes true, he asserts the opposite true to establish if in any instance this can be an accurate way of observing reality. Any belief whose opposite can be true is doubtable. He then deliberates that all doubtable beliefs are false. This way of thinking Descartes asserts that by using this “methodical doubt” of integrating knowledge to the most basic and irrefutable fact, we can find if not only one withstanding truth about the nature of reality.

The world in the seventeenth century produced many influential people. The changes which came from these men and women helped to shape today’s world. The wars changed countries, literature reflected the society, but the changes that occurred in the sciences were astronomical. Immense changes occurred in the seventeenth century regarding the sciences, especially astronomy. The seventeenth century produced several great men, including Johannes Kepler, Sir Isaac Newton, and Galileo Galilei.

Descartes himself despite great expertise in physics and genuine mathematical genius was slow to appreciate the difference. However, he came to believe that, as he put it, human knowledge is a tree, the trunk of which is physics, and the root of which is metaphysics. It is only through the exploration of metaphysics that the basis of human knowledge can be discerned. And “for right philosophizing the greatest care must be taken not to admit anything as true which we cannot prove to be true.” We must therefore adopt a ‘method of doubt’, in order to arrive at propositions which could not be reasonably doubted.

How do we know things for certain? How can I be certain of the things I consider to be true? The only way we can know things for certain is through doubting the things we think we know, also known as skepticism. In this paper I will argue that skepticism is the best way to know things for certain because it acknowledges the presence of cognitive dissonance, self-justification and the things we can learn by questioning. I will proceed as follows: I will outline the concepts of skepticism, according to Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson, and the concepts of rationalism, according to René Descartes. Then, I will compare rationalism and skepticism by explaining how challenging the ways we think we know stuff and cognitive dissonance can affect how we perceive things through skepticism and describing Descartes many principles based off of reason and how he uses these reasons to slowly affirm the things we must know for certain through rationalism.

Though unstated throughout his meditations, Descartes primary goal in the Meditations is to lay a strong foundation for the mathematical science that is emerging during his lifetime. There are two Aristotelian doctrines that Descartes wants to reject, the first which is final causation. The second is qualitative science, because Descartes tends to favor quantitative science over final causation. In Descartes’s first meditation his method of doubt is seen clearly since he knows that he believes same false things, but he doesn’t know which of his beliefs are fake.. Descartes is in search of something that cannot be doubted to serve as a secure foundation or knowledge, and we cannot doubt all our beliefs one by one. In the first meditation Descartes attacks the foundations of his knowledge, but slowly he’s foundations will fall. Descartes has three foundations in which he will challenge, the first which challenges his perceptual illusion, the second which is the dreaming state, and the third, which is the evil demon.

The Renaissance was a defining moment in history where old became new and ideas on science, nature, and education flowed like a rushing river. The impact on authority was great and lasting in its effect to the world. Great men began to ask questions about

The Scientific Revolution, starting in the sixteenth century, marked the beginning of change. Man’s view of the world now contained scientific discovery and mathematical fact and not traditional religious beliefs alone. Beginning with Copernicus’s theory of a heliocentric universe, mankind soon began to question previously believed facts and used mathematics to discount traditional theories. During this time man questioned everything from human anatomy, nature, government, and society. In the late seventeenth century, academies were dedicated to the sciences, and their discoveries and theories are now the basis for what we consider knowledge today.

The scientific revolution started progressing near the end of the Renaissance. This was the time were many great scientists like Galileo Galilei and Giotto di Bondone made discoveries that would transform the way that books and schools taught people. If it weren't for Galileo's improvements on the telescope we would not have been able to see into space and confirm that Copernicus's heliocentric model was correct. A quote from Galileo that completely encompasses how he saw the world is "All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them," this quote has inspired many people to pursue science and make great strides in science.