DESCARTES (Meditation III) First Causal Proof
Descartes says that the purpose of Meditation III is to prove
that there is a God who is not evil--who is not a deceiver.
Why does he say he has to prove this?
What is his proof for the existence of God?
a. For his starting point, what is the one thing that Descartes is certain
of?
1. I am (certain that I am) a thinking substance.
2. (Therefore) I have thoughts.
b. What are the 3 types or classifications of thoughts that we have? (Which
types lead to error?)
3. My thoughts may be classified as:
a) ideas (like images of things) - in themselves, not false
b) volition or emotions - when I will or when I affirm, I am
really willing or affirming--i.e., in themselves, they are true
c) judgments - ONLY THIS leads to error about what is outside
me
c. What are the 3 classifications of ideas?
4. My ideas, as such, are true.
My ideas can be classified as:
a) innate - I understand what a thing is, what truth is, what
thought is
b) derived from an external source - I hear a noise or see the
sun
c) produced by me - sirens, hippogriffs [sphinxes]
d. How do some ideas DIFFER from others?
5. Some ideas DIFFER from others, depending on what they represent
to me:
some represent substances. These have more content [objective
reality] than those which represent "modes"`or "accidents"
the idea of God has more content in it than ideas of any finite
substances
e. What does reason tell us about causes ("efficient causes") and effects?
What conclusions can we draw from this about how things come to be or come
into existence?
6. reason tells us that "there must be as much reality in the
total efficient cause as there is in the effect of the same cause"
BECAUSE the cause cannot give that reality to the effect UNLESS
the cause also has that reality
CAUSAL PRINCIPLE:
e.g., something cannot come into existence from nothing
e.g., what is more perfect (contains more reality) CANNOT come
into existence from what is less perfect
e.g., a thing cannot become hot unless there is something hot
that heats it
this principle is true for all things, real and ideal
f. What can we conclude from this about where an idea gets its content
[objective reality] from?
7. THUS, when it comes to ideas-- an idea gets its content [objective
reality] from a cause in which there is at least the same amount of reality
[formal reality] as the effect
because, otherwise, the idea would get it from nothing
8. THEREFORE, my ideas can't contain anything more perfect than their
cause
9. If the content [objective reality] of one of my ideas is such that
I am certain that the same reality is not formally or eminently in me,
or that I myself can be the cause of that idea, THEN the cause of this
idea exists and I am not alone in the world
g. What is the definition of "God"?
10. I have an idea of God [God df= an infinite and independent substance,
intelligent and more powerful in the highest degree, who is a creator]
11. The content of the idea of God is not formally or eminently in me.
h. Why can't I myself be the cause of the idea of God?
12. I myself cannot be the cause of the idea of God--these qualities
(infinite substance) could not have arisen from myself alone.
i. What can we conclude from this about the cause of the idea of God?
13. The cause of the idea of God exists
14. Since the Causal Principle is true
reason tells us that "there must be as much reality in the total
efficient cause as there is in the effect of the same cause
15. Therefore, the cause of the idea of God must [necessarily] be an
infinite and independent substance, intelligent and more powerful in the
highest degree, who is a creator]
16. Therefore: God necessarily exists