ESSAY QUESTION:
1. Outline Descartes' ontological argument for the existence of God. Do you believe that it succeeds in proving that God exists, or not? Why do you believe as you do?
2. How might Descartes' appeal to "clear and distinct" ideas be subject to criticism? Could Descartes respond to this criticism by distinguishing between a first-person approach to his arguments (i.e., where they are aimed only at the person following them) and a third-person approach to them (i.e., where they are intended to be fully accessible to others)? What might this response look like? Would it be satisfactory?
3. Do you have any reason to believe that you are not being systematically deceived by an evil genius, right at this moment? Does it matter whether you are being deceived or not? Explain your answer.
4. Do you believe that people have innate ideas? Would everyone have to have them for Descartes' arguments to be sound? Explain your answer.
5. What are Descartes' arguments for Cartesian dualism? Do you find them persuasive? If you do not, do you endorse monism, or not? Explain your answer.
6. What advantages might Descartes' dualist view have for someone who believes that humans have free will?
7. Outline the coherence theory of truth. Do you believe that this is a correct view of what truth is, or not? Explain your answer.
8. What method do you use for finding truth? How is this similar to, or different from, the rules that Descartes offered for finding truth?