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Single Idea 2254

[from 'Meditations' by René Descartes, in 13. Knowledge Criteria / D. Scepticism / 4. Demon Scepticism ]

Full Idea

I will suppose an evil genius, supremely powerful and clever, who has directed his entire effort at deceiving me. I will regard all external things as devilish hoaxes, and myself as not possessed of a body or senses, but falsely believing these things.

Gist of Idea

To achieve full scepticism, I imagine a devil who deceives me about the external world and my own body and senses

Source

René Descartes (Meditations [1641], §1.22)

Book Reference

Descartes,René: 'Discourse on Method/The Meditations', ed/tr. Sutcliffe,F.E. [Penguin 1968], p.100