The only thing I have trouble understanding with the Cogito is: why does thinking lead to existence? And how does the "Thinker" even know indubitably he/she is thinking?
But this is why I say philosophy kills. It leaves you belittled and unhappy.
If you are thinking then you must exist to have those thoughts. Even if this world isn't real and your body isn't real and you dreamed it all up, your mind had to exist to think it all. One knows one is thinking because one can question whether one is thinking!
Philosophy questions and strives to explain. I'm sorry that you feel that way about it :/
But you did not answer [i]why[/i] thinking leads to existence. You cannot just say it must, you need to give reason to your claim.
I think Descartes would have been better off if he only said something like, "there is thinking happening." Obviously there is thinking happening, because he is thinking. But just the fact that there is thinking happening does not prove his existence.
It's not that thinking leads to existence. It's that if there is a thought, there is a thinker.
I don't think "there is thinking happening" works. The whole point is that Descartes exists to say "I think therefore I am." Because he says "I think" there must be an "I." Yes, I can say MUST. Without the thinker, there could be no thought such as "I think." This statement is reversible: If there is a thought ("I think"), there is a thinker.
In other words, when Descartes states "I am" it becomes true because he can propose it.
I hope I explained this in a way you can understand. If you're still confused maybe we can talk about it in person or I can point you to a particularly helpful and passionate philosophy professor I had.
Pienso luego existo.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's bullshit.
The only thing I have trouble understanding with the Cogito is: why does thinking lead to existence? And how does the "Thinker" even know indubitably he/she is thinking?
ReplyDeleteBut this is why I say philosophy kills. It leaves you belittled and unhappy.
If you are thinking then you must exist to have those thoughts. Even if this world isn't real and your body isn't real and you dreamed it all up, your mind had to exist to think it all.
ReplyDeleteOne knows one is thinking because one can question whether one is thinking!
Philosophy questions and strives to explain. I'm sorry that you feel that way about it :/
But you did not answer [i]why[/i] thinking leads to existence. You cannot just say it must, you need to give reason to your claim.
ReplyDeleteI think Descartes would have been better off if he only said something like, "there is thinking happening." Obviously there is thinking happening, because he is thinking. But just the fact that there is thinking happening does not prove his existence.
It's not that thinking leads to existence. It's that if there is a thought, there is a thinker.
ReplyDeleteI don't think "there is thinking happening" works. The whole point is that Descartes exists to say "I think therefore I am." Because he says "I think" there must be an "I." Yes, I can say MUST. Without the thinker, there could be no thought such as "I think." This statement is reversible: If there is a thought ("I think"), there is a thinker.
In other words, when Descartes states "I am" it becomes true because he can propose it.
I hope I explained this in a way you can understand. If you're still confused maybe we can talk about it in person or I can point you to a particularly helpful and passionate philosophy professor I had.