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In order to prove what it means to conceive something clearly and distinctly, Descartes links his thoughts back to geometry and to God. He took the example of a triangle and stated “it was necessary for its three angles to be equal… but [he] did not see anything… to assure [him] that there was any triangle existing in the world” (20). He then states that the reason that it exists is that we think that it does, the same way we believe that God exists. This makes the idea both clear and distinct because we know that it has precise boundaries, what we can consider a triangle and what we cannot, and we also know how to categorize things to fit either inside or outside of the boundaries, making it distinct.
The reason that Descartes believes that the things we conceive very clearly and distinctly are true is because “God is or exists, and that he is a perfect being, and that all that is in us comes from him” (21). Due to the fact that all of our ideas stem from this truth is what makes them true. One clear and distinct idea can be branched off in to many separate clear and distinct ideas. However, “if we did not know that all that is real and true in us comes from a perfect and infinite being, however clear and distinct our ideas were, we would have no reason that assured us that they have the perfection of being true” (22). Descartes feels certain that because God exists, so too do all of our other ideas because we can conceive God’s existence both clearly and distinctly.
In Descartes opinion, when a thought or belief is both clear and distinct it is automatically certain because there is no other reason to doubt the notion that has been conceived in such a way. Certainty on a large scale is not a big issue in Discourse of Methods because once something has been thought of as being both clear and distinct, it is automatically certain. Descartes’ concern about certainty comes from whether an object or thought has been clearly and distinctly perceived. Once he proves that God exists, and that all thoughts stem from our acceptance of this existence and the understanding of it’s meaning, there is no concern for certainty because there is no room for doubt.
Descartes makes use of reason to be able to explain the logic behind some of the more wild ideas that a person may have, but tempers this with the notion that God would never let us think about those things without there being some level of truth to them. This lets us believe that there is a certain level of understanding that must also come with perceiving things both clearly and distinctly. When something is perceived in such a way, there should be no doubt in a person’s mind that they should be certain of its existence. Through the Discourse on Methods, Descartes tries to rid the reader of skepticism and make them more conscious of the world that they live in and their perceptions of it.
Through the statement “I think, therefore I am” he makes sure to explain to the reader what it means to conceive something both clearly and distinctly. Descartes does this through proving that God exists, and that any thought that is put in our heads is done for a reason, and because God put it there, there is some truth to the idea. Once we have no doubt about how an idea came to be, and whether it was conceived both clearly and distinctly, we can be certain that it is the truth. Thinking, in his mind, is proof of our existence and it is what defines it.
The reason that Descartes believes that the things we conceive very clearly and distinctly are true is because “God is or exists, and that he is a perfect being, and that all that is in us comes from him” (21). Due to the fact that all of our ideas stem from this truth is what makes them true. One clear and distinct idea can be branched off in to many separate clear and distinct ideas. However, “if we did not know that all that is real and true in us comes from a perfect and infinite being, however clear and distinct our ideas were, we would have no reason that assured us that they have the perfection of being true” (22). Descartes feels certain that because God exists, so too do all of our other ideas because we can conceive God’s existence both clearly and distinctly.
In Descartes opinion, when a thought or belief is both clear and distinct it is automatically certain because there is no other reason to doubt the notion that has been conceived in such a way. Certainty on a large scale is not a big issue in Discourse of Methods because once something has been thought of as being both clear and distinct, it is automatically certain. Descartes’ concern about certainty comes from whether an object or thought has been clearly and distinctly perceived. Once he proves that God exists, and that all thoughts stem from our acceptance of this existence and the understanding of it’s meaning, there is no concern for certainty because there is no room for doubt.
Descartes makes use of reason to be able to explain the logic behind some of the more wild ideas that a person may have, but tempers this with the notion that God would never let us think about those things without there being some level of truth to them. This lets us believe that there is a certain level of understanding that must also come with perceiving things both clearly and distinctly. When something is perceived in such a way, there should be no doubt in a person’s mind that they should be certain of its existence. Through the Discourse on Methods, Descartes tries to rid the reader of skepticism and make them more conscious of the world that they live in and their perceptions of it.
Through the statement “I think, therefore I am” he makes sure to explain to the reader what it means to conceive something both clearly and distinctly. Descartes does this through proving that God exists, and that any thought that is put in our heads is done for a reason, and because God put it there, there is some truth to the idea. Once we have no doubt about how an idea came to be, and whether it was conceived both clearly and distinctly, we can be certain that it is the truth. Thinking, in his mind, is proof of our existence and it is what defines it.
