The Existence of God According to Descartes Essays

Once Descartes has proved his existence by way of the Cogito argument, and has determined what it is that belongs to his essence of being a thinking thing, he must move to examining questions about the world around him. However, before doing this, he thinks it better to examine the question of the existence of God. If he can prove that he was created by a perfectly benevolent creator, then his innate ideas must carry some semblance of truth, as God is not a deceiver and has placed these ideas in Descartes. Knowledge of God will allow the possibility of achieving understanding of the fundamental principles of the universe.1 Descartes offers two arguments for the existence of God. The first, considered in Meditation Three, is known as†¦show more content†¦In the Principles of Philosophy, Descartes puts forward the example of a person who has the idea of a highly sophisticated and intricate machine; all the intricacy that is contained in the idea that the person has must be reflected in the source of that idea, whether it be a skilled designer, or the imagination of the person themselves. Taking these three premises, Descartes arrives at the existence of God as follows: as I have an idea of a perfect being, it must contain in reality all the features that are contained merely objectively in my idea. Descartes himself cannot be the cause of the idea, as he has acknowledged that he is imperfect and ignorant of many things. Neither can the idea have come from an amalgamation of various other ideas that he has, for there would have to be an infinite regress that would in any event trace back to an original cause of the idea, which will contain formally all the perfection present only objectively in Descartes idea. Hence, the ultimate cause of Descartes idea of God must possess all the attributes that Descartes perceives it to have, and therefore it can be concluded that God necessarily exists. The Causal Adequacy Feature is open to counterexamples. Its weakness is that it suggests that there can be no cases of objects being greater than the sum of their parts. For example, the strength inherent in a bridge must, according to Descartes, be contained in the girders and rivets that make it up. IfShow MoreRelatedOntological Arguments for the Existence of God Essay1603 Words   |  7 PagesIn the fifth Meditation, Descartes presents his second argument for the existence of God. Descartes holds that existence is perfection and so, it can be a predicate for God. I will first explain what is the ontological argument for the existence of God. Next, I will discuss why Descartes decides to bring God into His method of philosophy. I will then try to argue that existence is a perfection and that as a predicate for God, existence reveal certain true about God. Ontological argument tries toRead MoreThe Role of God in Descartes Epistemology1356 Words   |  5 Pages The presence of God, and more so the role god plays in our lives, has forever troubled philosophers. Some completely neglect the existence of god, others toy with the idea, and some use religion as the basis of their epistemology. Throughout this essay, I aim to critically examine the role of God in Descartes’ epistemology. Renà © Descartes’ epistemological contribution to western philosophy attempted to inaugurate a coherent method of questioning whereby knowledge of the world is attained independentlyRead MoreDescartes Meditations On First Philosophy1712 Words   |  7 PagesDescartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy (1641) contains six Meditations. In the first two of these Descartes addresses doubt and certainty. By the end of the second Meditation Descartes establishes the possibility of certainty by concluding that he is a â€Å"thinking thing† and that this is beyond doubt. Having established the possibility of certainty, Descartes attempts to pr ove the existence of God. The argument he presents in the Third Meditation for the existence of God has been nicknamed theRead MoreDescartes Belief in God Essay1503 Words   |  7 PagesDescartes and God In his groundbreaking work, Meditations on First Philosophy, the French philosopher Rene Descartes lays the groundwork for many philosophical principles by attempting to â€Å"establish a bold and lasting knowledge† (171)1. The foundations for knowledge Descartes established would go on to influence a plethora of other philosophers and philosophical works. Descartes argues in his meditations first from the point of view of complete skepticism, using skepticism as a tool in order toRead MoreDescartes: Proofs of God/Deception and Error Essay1093 Words   |  5 PagesDescartes: Proofs of God/Deception and Error Instructions: First: Analyze and evaluate the two proofs of Gods existence. How are they different? Is one more convincing than the other? Why did Descartes think he needed two proofs? Do they do different work for him? And secondly: Does Descartes give a satisfactory account of human error, given a perfect and divine creator? Are Descartes arguments convincing, or does it still seem unnecessary and less than perfect that God created us withRead MoreAnalyzing the Surprise Ending in Descartes Discourse on the Method and the Meditations1051 Words   |  4 PagesSurprise Ending in Descartes In the book Discourses on the Method and the Meditations, author Rene Descartes famously questions the existence of humanity. His most famous quotation, the one for whom he is most remembered is I think therefore I am (Descartes 11). According to this idea, so long as a being has the ability to think then they existed. Animals have brains and therefore they must exist. In order to truly, exist, to be a thinking entity, a person or organism must utilize the abilityRead MoreEssay on Descartes Meditations1018 Words   |  5 PagesDescartes Meditations Descartes meditations are created in pursuit of certainty, or true knowledge. He cannot assume that what he has learned is necessarily true, because he is unsure of the accuracy of its initial source. In order to purge himself of all information that is possibly wrong, he subjects his knowledge to methodic doubt. This results in a (theoretical) doubt of everything he knows. Anything, he reasons, that can sustain such serious doubt must be unquestionable truth, andRead MoreDescartes Theory Of Reasoning1184 Words   |  5 Pagesexplaining Antoine Arnauld’s objection to Descartes’ circular reasoning, I will be presenting a response given by Descartes. Then I will attempt to consider, on behalf of Arnauld, if the response is of adequacy, then I shall decide which view offers the best account. I suspect, however, that no matter what kind of response Descartes is to give, nothing will be able to save him from the torment of the so called ‘Cartesian circle’ . In objection to Descartes’ reasoning behind his attempt to establishRead MoreThe Ontological Argument For The Existence Of God1509 Words   |  7 Pages Descartes’ ontological argument is an echo of the original ontological argument for the existence of God as proposed by St. Anselm in the 11th century. To illustrate the background of the ontological argument, Anselm’s argument works within a distinct framework of ontology that posits the existence of God as necessity by virtue of its definition. In other words, for the mind to conceive of an infinite, perfect God, ultimately implies that there must indeed be a perfect God that embodies existenceRead MoreDescartes Ontological Argument For The Existence Of God1302 Words   |  6 Pages10/30/2014 Descartes’ Ontological Argument for the Existence of God The Ontological Argument for the existence of God is an a priori argument that aims to demonstrate that God’s real-world existence follows necessarily from the concept of God. In Meditation V of Discourse on Methods and Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes presents his version of the Ontological Argument for the existence of God. In this essay, I will argue that this argument fails because necessary existence for a concept

Art of the Italian Renaissance - 1394 Words

One of the greatest stories from the Italian Renaissance is the one of Fillipo Brunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti. In 1401, the directors of the art of the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral held a contest for artists; to create panels for a the doors on the east entrance (Kleiner, 560-2). Because the east doors faced the cathedral, the people thought it extremely prestigious to be able to participate in such a massive creation. After the first competition round, two finalists remained; Brunelleschi, an accomplished and experienced artist, and Ghiberti, a younger artist, but one with just as much talent. The two competitors were required to create a panel (or square) of Abraham readying to sacrifice Issac. Before reading which was which,†¦show more content†¦It is said that history repeats itself, and in some instances this is true. Many Savonarola situations happened around the world, but one in particular stood out to me as I have read about it before. The Boxer Rebelli on, which occurred in China from 1899 to the early 1900s. A large part of the Western world considered China as less developed than them, despite the fact that China had existed long before these countries. Certain people in China grew very tired of being treated as underlings as they felt that the people of the western world were taking advantage of them. Because of this a secret alliance began; a dangerous union which grew into a desperate attempt to purify China from all western thought. Hence the Boxer Rebellion, which was a formation of young people bent on destroying any and everything to do with western thought. Like the situation involving Savonarola and the destruction of classical texts, participants in the rebellion harmed and killed many missionaries, destroying homes, people, and even hospitals; they burned a racecourse built by the English, and were involved in many lengthy battles. It is evident that the Boxers thought all Western ideas were evil, and they assum ed the only way to save themselves was to rid their country of foreign ideas; something that is familiar when compared to Girolamo Savonarola and his frantic actions to purify Florence from humanistic ideas. MyShow MoreRelatedRenaissance Italian Art : Art And Art Of The Renaissance1572 Words   |  7 PagesRenaissance Italian Artists The Renaissance occurred in Europe between 1400 and 1600. This event began in Italy during the Medieval period and then expanded to the rest of Europe, marking the start of the Modern age. The Renaissance began in Florence Italy in the 14th century. It was a cultural movement that had an enormous impact in Europe during the early modern period. The Renaissance’s influenced politics, science, literature, art, philosophy, religion, music, and other aspects. AroundRead MoreArt with Science: The Italian Renaissance and Art1479 Words   |  6 Pages in Butterfield 27). The Italian Renaissance is famous for its art which includes unique style of painting and sculpting, however, the Renaissance made significant remark on the use of scientific techniques which also can be considered as the influence of classical ideas. Although, classical ideas were not advanced like in the Renaissance, it provided the foundation for the Renaissance to revive it again. The Italian Renaissa nce transformed the manner of viewing the arts. Before, most people in ItalyRead More the arts in Italian Renaissance Essay1647 Words   |  7 Pages The Italian Renaissance was a very difficult time period in European history. The arts were flourishing, while the city-states in Italy fought bloody battles with each other and within themselves. Bribery and murder were not uncommon tools for men to use when they wanted power. Meanwhile those same rulers patronized the arts a great deal and they would commission the best artistic minds of the time to build, design and paint their palaces and churches and later on their own portraits andRead MoreInfluence Of The Italian Renaissance On Art1835 Words   |  8 PagesIt could be debated, that the impact the Italian Renaissance had on art is possibly the largest throughout European history. Italian Renaissance painting can be divided into four periods: the Proto-Renaissance (1300–1400), the Early Renaissance (1400–1475), the High Renaissance (1475–1525), and Mannerism (1525–1600.The same themes that influenced philosophy and literature, as well as architecture and theology, can also being found in art. In painting, Giotto’s Trecento that began in late 13th centuryRead MoreItalian Renaissance Humanism in Art1826 Words   |  8 PagesThe Renaissance, as defined in Merriam-Webster=s dictionary, is the transitional movement in Europe between medieval and modern times beginning in the 14th century in Italy, lasting into the 17th century, and marked by a humanistic revival of classical influence expressed in a flowering of the arts and literature and by the beginnings of modern science. Many dramatic changes occurred during this time in the fields of philosophy, literature, and art. New emphasis was placed on enjoying life and theRead MoreEarly Italian Renaissance Art Essay1475 Words   |  6 Pagesand Child’. This depiction has its roots in Early Christian art due to the iconic roles that Christ and Mary play in the Christian religion (Dunkerton 37). The ‘Madonna and Child’ has had a place in many of the early periods and traditions of art. Religious themes were able to command such a strong presence in the history of art due to their role as devotional aides in churches and other religious buildings (Dunkerton 27). Religious art was well maintained by religious orders and churches, and manyRead MoreArth 192 Italian Renaissance Art1346 Words   |  6 PagesARTH-192 Italian Renaissance Art Architecture Castello Estense Ferrara is a small city in Italy, almost comparable in size to Portland, ME. This city is known for its many buildings from the renaissance era in which at the time was ruled by the Este family. The Este family is known for building the Diamanti Palace, as well as the famous Este Castle. The Castello Estense, also known as the Este Castle is a historical building in the center of the city of Ferrara, Italy. This medieval castleRead MoreEarly Italian Renaissance Art: Florentine vs. Sienese Art2288 Words   |  10 Pagesreligion brought about an increase in the production of art. The creation of artworks became an esteemed industry, and artists gained more respect in the eyes of Italian citizens. Typically, most of the art that was produced was religious in nature, and was seen as a mechanism for visually representing faith in a more tangible manner. During this dynamic period, artistic styles began to change as well. A transition from medieval, Byzantine art to a more naturalisti c, humanistic style occurred in ItalyRead MoreRenaissance Ideals of Humanism Are Expressed in the Italian Art of the Period970 Words   |  4 PagesDiscuss how Renaissance ideals of humanism are expressed in the Italian art of the period, referring to specific works and artists. During the fourteenth century Italy witnessed notable changes, which throughout the next couple of centuries extended towards northern Europe. This was later described as the Renaissance, the cultural achievements through sixteenth centuries; those achievements rest on the economic and political developments of earlier centuries. (Western Society, 413) This wasRead MoreArt Analysis: Renaissance Period vs. Italian Baroque1461 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Comparing and Contrasting Two Work of Art Introduction: It is always interesting to know how a singular topic can be treated so differently by two different artists. There is not only the more obvious difference of the techniques that have been employed, but there is also the difference in the way they perceive the topic. There is also the era and the region and influence of their background which has a direct impact on the work of Art that they produce. In this paper, we will try to develop

Darlings Chocolate free essay sample

Why do you think colonel Darling chose sole trader as a form of business organization and when and why might his company have become a partnership. Joshua Darling was a retired army colonel, who returned after the army to Liverpool, where he was born, opened a chocolate factory and set up his own business as a sole trader in July 1933. Why colonel Darling chose a sole proprietorship as a form of business organization? First of all, a sole proprietorship was suitable for his nature as he could be his own boss, lead and motivate people, make independent decisions and be entirely responsible for all aspects of the management of his business. Secondly, after returning from the army to Liverpool, he didn’t have any person to trust in and to help. Thirdly, a sole proprietorship can be set up with little or no money in the business and there are no legal formalities to establish the company. We will write a custom essay sample on Darlings Chocolate or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Besides, sole proprietor is not subject to public report and the books reflecting the results of his business were private and competitors wouldn’t use it to their advantages. The colonel’s decision to open the factory came at a time of high unemployment and economic slowdown in Liverpool. Darling used it to his advantages. There was no difficulty in hiring suitable workers, so he could economize paying low wages. Also there was no difficulty for Darling to entry the market. Sales figure showed that his chocolate was the country’s number one choice and almost half the company’s production of the brand was exported. Why was Darling so successful with his chocolate business? The chocolates were of the highest quality and contained only the finest ingredients. And the reason why Darling decided to start a chocolate factory is that he was unsatisfied with the quality of it. That is why, when his wife came out with the idea to establish a chocolate factory he took this opportunity. In 1940 Darling changed the form of his business and entered partnership with his son-in-law who had been in the family for 6 years by that moment and was a person to trust in. Besides, he could invest money into the company and contribute new skills and add a new dimension to the business. Besides, a partnership has many advantages. Firstly, it is easier to multiply sources of capital. Also partnerships often receive favored treatment by the government as well as tax benefits. Secondly, each partner can specialize in each aspect of the business or share the work. To sum up, I can say that in the time of Britain’s largest economic stagnation, colonel Darling managed to set up his own, a profit making business and become successful. When and why might Darlings’ have become LTD, when did it go public, what were the reasons for it? By the time of middle 50-s Darlings’ had become a highly profitable company. Everyone in Britain knew the smiling face of Colonel Darling which was on every box. Sales figures showed that they were the country’s number one choice. Darlings’ chocolates were more popular than those of other manufacturer because of their quality and prices. That is why almost half â€Å"The Colonel’s Choice† was exported. The company managed to entry international markets, selling products to customers oversees as far as Australia and South America. As the market was becoming more competitive, Darling started to seek ways to expand and increase the company’s profitability and in 1956 decided to become the private limited company. It was suitable for Darling as it is usually family business owned by members of the family or close friends. Other advantages were that, first of all, there are no continuity problems. Darling was becoming older and he wanted to be sure that after his death business would be continued by members of his family. Secondly, it was beneficial for Darling to raise extra capital as there is no limit on the number of shareholders. Thirdly, the shareholders’ liability is limited to the nominal value of the shares held. In this way, by buying shares, a large number of people could contribute funds to the company without risking all their personal possession. Besides, control of the business cannot be lost to outsiders and shares can be transferred only with the consent of other members of the company. In 1963 Colonel Joshua Darling died and his daughter inherited the Colonel’s majority shareholding and controlling interest. That time the cost of sugar and cocoa rose significantly, the company’s sales started to drop. That is why in 1963 Mrs Windbourne decided to go public. First of all, it is easier to raise capital. Secondly, production costs may be lower as firms may gain economies scale. Thirdly, in case of liquidation of a company, each shareholder only losses the nominal value of his shares, so the property of the owners is immune. Besides, financial institutions are more willing to lend to plcs.