Chapter I

Introduction

To get around this problem,

I asked myself where all human knowledge comes from.
I decided there are only two sources of knowledge:
our senses and reason.
-Rene Descartes
A. Background of the Study
Some of our challenges in life especially as a philosopher are seeking for the certain truth.
However, using the capacity to doubt, we find the truth even this is not exactly certain, or even it
is true it can be change day by day because there is no permanent. Everything can be change like
for instance, our senses can tell as some satiations but it is more doubtful if it’s contradict to what
in our mind tells to us. One of these examples is the truthiness of the things especially to find the
absolute truth. Even, the existence of the things is questionable to us because of this doubt. Hence,
some of us still doubted to everything that can be sense of our mind. But, there are some
philosopher trying to resolve this problem especially, René Descartes is generally considered the
father of modern philosophy. He was the first major figure in the philosophical movement known
as rationalism, a method of understanding the world based on the use of reason as the means to
attain knowledge.1 However, Rene Descartes was one of the philosophers; use the idea of doubt to
seek the absolute truth.
Therefore, this research is focuses on exposing the philosophy of Rene Descartes, on his
Methodic Doubt, Rene Descartes is not a victim of doubt but the technician of the methodic doubt.
He uses the methodic doubt as a preliminary to the search for the absolute certainty. Although
uncertainty and doubt were the enemies, Descartes hit upon the idea of using doubt as a tool or a
weapon. Instead of fighting doubt, he would use it to find certainty. He would use doubt, like an
acid to pour over every truth to see if there was anything that would not dissolved, any truth that
could not be doubted. Some of his doubts may seem extreme, but in order to find 100-percent
certainty he had to find a starting point with zero-percent doubt.
After subjecting all his knowledge to the doubt, he concluded that there was one thing he
could not doubt, that he doubted. The one fact the doubt could not dissolve was doubt itself. This

1
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meant there had to be an “I” who was doing the doubting. Even if he were deceived about
everything else, he had to exist in order to be deceived. This led Descartes to his famous statement,
Cogito Ergo Sum, “I think, therefore I am” The only thing that remains true that there is a mind or
consciousness doing the doubting and believing its perceptions, hence the famous formulation, ‘I
think therefore I am’, or in Latin, the cogito—‘Cogito ergo sum’2.
But at this moment on his Meditation did not appear these words. Having established that
there is an “I”, a self, a starting point, Descartes began to explore the nature of this “I”. Who is
Rene Descartes? What is the Methodic Doubt of Rene Descartes? How Rene Descartes arrive on
his Cogito Ergo Sum? How the researchers make a dialogue to the philosophy of Rene Descartes?

B. Research Design
1. Significance of the Study
Descartes’ method is the key to deeper understanding of his philosophy. While Descartes’
“Cogito Ergo Sum” is famous, few students of Descartes examine how the method of the universal
doubt shapes his approach to proving the existence of God. Hence, this paper’s potential value lies
in providing a clear explication of Descartes’ approach to his methodic doubt and the Cogito Ergo
Sum. My purpose is to read Descartes on his own terms. If there is relevance for today, it emerges
only as a product of Rene Descartes own philosophy insofar as it is true.
2. Scope of the Study
This study focuses on the methodic doubt in the writings of Rene Descartes and supported
by any idea that can helped to expose the philosophy of Rene Descartes today, like the article that
can argue about his philosophy. Specifically, this study examines the following: the Laws of
Descartes philosophy, or his method, the cogito ergo sum, truth and certainty, and lastly the
researcher is also open on any idea or suggestion that can help this paper to expose the philosophy
of Descartes.
3. Limitation of the Study
One limitation of this study is that the works of Rene Descartes will be read only in
translation. But, the researcher is not all works of Descartes, it’ only the methodic doubt and the

2
http://newlearningonline.com/new-learning/chapter-7/descartes-i-think-therefore-i-am (Accessed:
March 2, 2018 at 6:15PM)
Cogito Ergo Sum. A second limitation that this is researcher’s first exploration of this difficult
subject, therefore, the researcher makes limited claims about the accuracy of the study.
 Chapter II

A. Review of Related Literature

The Review of Related Literature is arranged according to the development of study. This

research was gathering the idea of every researcher to fulfill or to satisfy the needs of readers. The

books, article and the unpublished thesis below will discuss its coherency and diversity that will

help to evolve the idea of the researcher.

The thesis statement of John D. Adolfo entitled by The End of Cogito as Seen in the

Tractatus of Wittgestein in Ralation to Bonaventurian Metaphysics, uses one of the ideas of Rene

Descartes, the “Cogito Ergo Sum”. This philosophy is one of his famous claim work in his

Meditation saying Cogito Ergo Sum “I think therefore, I am (exists)”. He also emphasize this idea,

the Cogito is the rational self which reasoning is

the ultimate to man the only indubitable source of certainty, truth and the basis existence for

Descartes.

Thus, this will contributed to the research of the researcher about the philosophy of Rene

Descartes the Cogito Ergo Sum. For farther exposing the philosophy of Rene Descartes there is

another thesis statement of Henry L. Ligson entitled by A Study of the Methodic Doubt of Rene

Descartes and the Existence of God. He is trying to discuss the

Methodic Doubt of Rene Descartes and his idea of Cogito Ergo Sum. According to his statement,

Philosophy for Descartes means the study of wisdom, and by wisdom we understand not only

prudence in affairs but also a perfect knowledge of things which man can know both for the

conduction of his life and for the conservation of his health and for the invention of all the arts.3

3
A. Castell, An Introduction to Modern Philosophy, (New York: McMillan Publishing Com 1976), 95-105
However, he also discuss the methodic doubt of Rene Descartes, according to him (Rene

Descartes) he use methodic doubt as a preliminary to the search for absolute certainty. And also

according to him, Rene Descartes wish to find and apply the right method in the search for truth,

a method which could enable him to demonstrate truths in a rational and systematic order. He

thought that it was necessary to doubt all that could be doubted and to treat provisionally as false

all that could be doubted.

From this, the researcher greatly helped to his paper and not only to himself and also the

readers who want to know the philosophy of Rene Descartes especially on his idea about methodic

doubt and his Cogito Ergo Sum. And also from the book of Rene Descartes entitled by Discourse

on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, this will be translated by Donald A. Cress. This

book will be the primary sources of the researcher. From his translation wants to explain the

philosophy of Rene Descartes, especially the discoursing the method and also he discuss the

meditation of Descartes. From the first meditation the reasons are given why we can doubt all

things especially

material things, as long, of course, as we have no other foundations for the science than the ones

which we have had up until now. Several years from now passed since I first

realized how many were the false opinions that in my youth I took to be true and thus how doubtful

were all the things that I subsequently built upon theses opinion. 4 Finally, it makes it impossible

for us to doubt further those things that we shall discover to be true. And also he discusses the

Cogito Ergo Sum. Thus, this will be contributed to the research of the researcher about the first

meditation and the Cogito Ergo Sum of Rene Descartes. However, from the book of Etienne

Gilson entitled by Modern Philosophy: Descartes to Kant. He wants to introduce some of the

4
Rene Descartes, Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, trans. Donald Cress (USA:
Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. 1980), 57
philosophers in modern philosophy, but the researcher only focuses on the philosophy of Rene

Descartes especially the methodic doubt and the existence of God. From this book Descartes’ says

on his methodic doubt. The method requires (First Rule) that we should accept in our judgments

nothing that is not so clearly and distinctly understood that we can have no occasion to doubt.5 He

also approaches the Cogito Ergo Sum. The knowledge I have of myself as mind does not permit

me to affirm the existence of another being besides myself.6 This book greatly helped to elaborate

the historical background or the chronology of Rene Descartes and also in this book tackle the

method and the Cartesian world.

C. Thesis Statement
1. The Problem
The main problem of this paper is how the researcher gathered the data that can be help to
expose the philosophy of Rene Descartes. Especially, on his first meditation the methodic doubt
and how Rene Descartes arrives on his famous idea the Cogito Ergo Sum, and lastly how the
researcher makes a dialogue to the philosophy of Rene Descartes. Also the limitation of the
resources to expand the idea of Descartes, and to give more clear detail on his philosophy, and
how the researcher elaborate his idea about the understanding of the philosophy of Rene Descartes.
2. Statement of the Problem
In order to understand this paper, the researcher provides some question in order to help
the readers, and to clearly understand the exposition of the philosophy of Rene Descartes. For
Descartes claiming the doubt is the starting to find truth and the same Method is also good
foundation to make a dialogue on his philosophy.
The following questions are examined:
1. Who is Rene Descartes?
2. What is the Methodic Doubt of Rene Descartes?
3. How Rene Descartes arrive on his Cogito Ergo Sum?
4. How the researchers make a dialogue to the philosophy of Rene Descartes?

5
Etienne Gilson, Modern Philosophy: Descartes to Kant, (New York: Random House, 1963),60
6
Etienne Gilson, Modern Philosophy: Descartes to Kant, 63
B. Methodology

1. Method

In presenting the views of Rene Descartes on the existence of God, the researcher first

presents some facts from the life of Descartes which are pertinent to the topic. Then, in order to

achieve a critical understanding of the philosophy of Rene Descartes, the following steps are taken:

First, the methodic doubt of Rene Descartes will be presented.

Second, Descartes’ Cogito Ergo Sum will be examined.

Third, the philosophy of Rene Descartes’ on these points will be evaluated.

Fourth, the potential relevance of Descartes views for today will be explored.

And lastly, how the researcher make a dialogue to the philosophy of Rene Descartes.

2. Gathering of Data

The researcher conducted a visit to the library of Our Lady of the Angels Seminary-College

to gather a data for the research paper. And to have detailed research

and also read different materials that are relevant to the study being conducted. And the researchers

use best-printed materials from those gathered information that would best serve and helping out

the researchers in developing the research paper.

3. Analysis of Data

The researcher, analyze all the data for the exposition of the philosophy of Rene Descartes.

For the first analyzing is the first meditation of Rene Descartes, the methodic doubt. And the

second is the Cogito Ergo Sum. Lastly the third analyzing is all the data gathered to support his

idea about making a dialogue to the philosophy of Rene Descartes.

4. Theoretical Framework

This paper can be helping the student or the person who want to study the philosophy of

Rene Descartes. Especially, to the first meditation witch is the methodic doubt and also the Cogito

Ergo Sum. But, the researcher wants to make a dialogue to the philosophy of Rene Descartes. But,

the important is the contribution of this paper to our church to provide some idea to find the answer

to the existence of God, especially to the people who really doubt about the existence of God.
 Chapter III

Conclusion

For the enlightenment of the people, don’t hesitate to use our reasoning to find every truth

of our life. As a rational being it is necessary for us to find the answer to our problem or to resolve

this by using doubt. From the philosophy of Rene Descartes, the researcher want’s to expose the

idea of Descartes which is the methodic doubt. Reflecting upon the methodic doubt of Rene

Descartes, this idea can be one of the solutions to our problem in the contemporary context

especially on the issue of fake news, which is relevant to our modern society today.

However, Fake news is an inaccurate, sometimes sensationalistic report that is created to

gain attention, mislead, deceive or damage a reputation. Like misinformation, which is inaccurate

because a reporter has confused facts, fake news is created with the intent to manipulate someone

or something. Fake news can spread quickly when it provides disinformation that is aligned with

the audience's point of view because such content is not likely to be questioned or discounted.

To be aware on this issue, the researcher exposes and gives a dialogue from the philosophy

of Rene Descartes’ methodic doubt to the contemporary context. Because, the research see how

the philosophy of Rene Descartes can be help to be aware on this issue. Furthermore, the

philosophy of Rene Descartes which is the methodic doubt is the systematic approach to find the

certain truth. If we understand his philosophy it can be aware to every issue from our contemporary

context especially from the fake news. Additionally, Rene Descartes teaches us how to be wise,

and to use our capacity to reason in a systematic approach.

 Chapter IV

Bibliography

Primary

Cress, Donald A., trans. Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy. USA: Hackett
Publishing Comp. Inc., 1980

Secondary

Adolfo, John D.. The End of the Cogito as Seen in the Tractatus of Wittgestein in Relation to
Bonaventurian Metaphysics. Our Lady of the Angels Seminary-College, 2014.

Beardsley, Monroe, Eds. The European Philosophers from Descartes to Nietzsche. New York:
Random House, Inc. 1988.

Castell, A. An Introduction to Modern Philosophy. New York: McMillan Publishing Com 1976.

Gilson, Etienne. Modern Philosophy: Descartes to Kant. New York: Random House, Inc., 1963.

Ligson, Henry L.. A Study of the Methodic Doubt of Rene Descartes and the Existence of God.
Our Lady of the Angels Seminary-College, 1993.

Internet

http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/descartes/context (Accessed: March 2, 2018 at 6:00 PM)

http://newlearningonline.com/new-learning/chapter-7/descartes-i-think-therefore-i-am
(Accessed: March 2, 2018 at 6:15PM)