Problem
Read Avicenna's flying (floating) man thought experiment (below)
Avicenna's Flying (Floating) Man Thought Experiment:
"We say one of us must imagine himself as created all at once and perfect but with his sight veiled from observing external things, and as created floating in the air or the void so that he would not encounter air resistance which he would have to sense, and with his limbs separate from each other in such a way that they neither meet nor touch each other. He must then reflect upon [the question] whether he would affirm the existence of his essence. He would not hesitate to affirm that his essence exists, but he would not thereby affirm any of his limbs, any of his internal organs, whether heart or brain or any of the external things. Rather, he would be affirming his essence without affirming for it length, breadth, or depth. And if in this state he would be able to imagine it as part of his essence or a condition for his essence. Now, you know that what is affirmed is different from what is not affirmed, and what is established is different from what is not established to him. Hence the essence whose existence he has affirmed is specific to him in that it is he himself, different from his body and limbs which were not affirmed. Thus, he who is attentive has the means to be awakened to the existence of the soul as something different from the body- indeed, as not a body at all - and to be acquainted to be aware of it. If someone fails to realize this, he is in need of educative prodding." (Shifa, De An. I.1, 16 [Rahman], 36-37 [Van Reit].)
Reference: Kaukua, Jari. (2007). Avicenna on Subjectivity: A philosophical study. Jyväskylä University Printing House, Jyväskylä, pp.71-2. (The transliterations of Arabic words have been omitted from the text).
Read Descartes' Meditations I and II
Task
A. Avicenna intends to argue for a point in his flying man thought experiment. What is the view that Avicenna tries to argue for? Write Avicenna's argument step by step.
B. What are the similarities and differences between Avicenna's flying man thought experiment and Descartes' cogito? To answer the question, you need to clearly explain Descartes' cogito and compare it with Avicenna's flying man thought experiment.
C. Do you think that Avicenna's flying man thought experiment is convincing? That is, do you accept the conclusion drawn from Avicenna's flying man thought experiment? Yes, or no? You need to explain and argue for your point.