Well done to all of you who are still 'with it'. We've achieved a lot this week ...
We have:
1. Sorted out Descartes' 3 arguments: illusion, dreaming and deception.
2. consolidated our understanding of 'a priori' and 'a posteriori' knowledge claims, not to mention the analytic / synthetic distinction.
3. Waded through the philosophical treacle of Descartes' third Meditation and seen how he tried to prove the existence of God.
4. Given some thought to the concepts of infinity, perfection, God etc. and ...
5 considered whether Descartes was right to think those concepts were innate with all that that would imply (the existence of God!!?? - possibly)
6. Then we started on John Locke - who thought Descartes was rubbish - we read his arguments against innate ideas - remember: 'no universal consent', 'children and idiots' and the 'circular argument' of 'assent when reason is reached'.
7. and we considered what a 'idea' might consist in.
Lots of you have said some very smart things and I'm very encouraged. I mustn't forget the biscuits!
By the way if any of you managed to get Philosophy the Classics yet you ought to read the chapters on Descartes and Locke.
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