Thought Experiment Analyses of René Descartes' Cogito
ABSTRACT: René Descartes' Cogito is an example of a paradigmatic thought experiment, herald of both subjectivism and new science in Europe's Modern Age, that seems to have escaped the attention of thought experiment philosophers. On deep analysis, the Cogito appears as universal instantiat...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Universidade Estadual Paulista
|
| Series: | Trans/Form/Ação |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0101-31732016000300009&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1797727199608963072 |
|---|---|
| author | C. P. Hertogh |
| author_facet | C. P. Hertogh |
| author_sort | C. P. Hertogh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT: René Descartes' Cogito is an example of a paradigmatic thought experiment, herald of both subjectivism and new science in Europe's Modern Age, that seems to have escaped the attention of thought experiment philosophers. On deep analysis, the Cogito appears as universal instantiation (or modus ponens with implicit major 'whatever has the property of thinking, exists'). The Cogito has strong rhetorical effects for it narratively generalizes from I to all human kind, and its historical and philosophical success can be explained from its concise enthymematic structure that rings true in many possible senses. We consider it a preeminent example of a thought experiment as it states the power of thinking as its very contents. From Descartes' methodology of doubt we can conclude that, e.g., on a Wittgensteinian interpretation, the Cogito is a logical thought experiment rather than a psychological one. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:57:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-62db6bf0c8724e888e398a5a11edbb46 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1980-539X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:57:30Z |
| publisher | Universidade Estadual Paulista |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Trans/Form/Ação |
| spelling | doaj.art-62db6bf0c8724e888e398a5a11edbb462023-09-02T06:13:12ZengUniversidade Estadual PaulistaTrans/Form/Ação1980-539X39392210.1590/s0101-31732016000300002S0101-31732016000300009Thought Experiment Analyses of René Descartes' CogitoC. P. HertoghABSTRACT: René Descartes' Cogito is an example of a paradigmatic thought experiment, herald of both subjectivism and new science in Europe's Modern Age, that seems to have escaped the attention of thought experiment philosophers. On deep analysis, the Cogito appears as universal instantiation (or modus ponens with implicit major 'whatever has the property of thinking, exists'). The Cogito has strong rhetorical effects for it narratively generalizes from I to all human kind, and its historical and philosophical success can be explained from its concise enthymematic structure that rings true in many possible senses. We consider it a preeminent example of a thought experiment as it states the power of thinking as its very contents. From Descartes' methodology of doubt we can conclude that, e.g., on a Wittgensteinian interpretation, the Cogito is a logical thought experiment rather than a psychological one.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0101-31732016000300009&lng=en&tlng=enRené DescartesCogito (ergo sum)Thought experimentModus ponensUniversal instantiationSemanticsDoubtLudwig Wittgenstein |
| spellingShingle | C. P. Hertogh Thought Experiment Analyses of René Descartes' Cogito Trans/Form/Ação René Descartes Cogito (ergo sum) Thought experiment Modus ponens Universal instantiation Semantics Doubt Ludwig Wittgenstein |
| title | Thought Experiment Analyses of René Descartes' Cogito |
| title_full | Thought Experiment Analyses of René Descartes' Cogito |
| title_fullStr | Thought Experiment Analyses of René Descartes' Cogito |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thought Experiment Analyses of René Descartes' Cogito |
| title_short | Thought Experiment Analyses of René Descartes' Cogito |
| title_sort | thought experiment analyses of rene descartes cogito |
| topic | René Descartes Cogito (ergo sum) Thought experiment Modus ponens Universal instantiation Semantics Doubt Ludwig Wittgenstein |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0101-31732016000300009&lng=en&tlng=en |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cphertogh thoughtexperimentanalysesofrenedescartescogito |