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Single Idea 6347

[from 'Meditations' by René Descartes, in 13. Knowledge Criteria / D. Scepticism / 1. Scepticism ]

Full Idea

Descartes' strategy of starting over will not work, because the skeptic is not just questioning our beliefs, he is also questioning the cognitive processes by which we arrive at our beliefs, and if we start all over again we use the same processes.

Gist of Idea

Descartes can't begin again, because sceptics doubt cognitive processes as well as beliefs

Source

comment on René Descartes (Meditations [1641], §1) by J Pollock / J Cruz - Contemporary theories of Knowledge (2nd)

Book Reference

Pollock,J.L./Cruz,J: 'Contemporary Theories of Knowledge (2nd)' [Rowman and Littlefield 1999], p.6


A Reaction

Scepticism comes in degrees, so there is not one strategy employed by sceptics. It is certainly true, though, that nothing can resist extreme scepticism. The most extreme view is to refuse to accept the meaningfulness of all belief language.