Question

Examine the view that Rene Descartes methodic doubt exemplifies critical and creative thinking (20mks)

Answer 1

Rene Descartes , was famous for Cartesian Philosophy. It claims to serach for certainity , though doubting everything tentatively . The statements which needs to be studied , are sorted according to the type and source of knowledge . Knowledge can be varied . It can be from any field, sources , etc. So , here the knowledge can arise from empirical to mathematical to traditional .

People must be thinking that , how to clear the doubt of a given truth ?

Hence , statements that needs to clear the doubt of a given truth should be set aside and open to doubts . The resason for the doubt to be 'methodic' , as it assures systematic completeness of a problem . The statements are almost true in most of the cases . One cannot distrust the statements easily . The statements which are claimed to be true after using the methodic doubt , cannot be eaily falsified.

The methodic doubt of Rene Descartes , if critically analysed , is the problem that he doubts each and every thing and claims it to be true. He himself considers him to be the thinking king . He examines something which he thinks to be wrong , and doubting the statement itself makes it some or the other way true about it. People itself must be thinking , that the thinking or doubt which is made by Descartes is even true either ?

How can he claim to be true else wise?

This is where the critical analysis of his work lies .