Understanding Descartes’ Epistemological Revolution: a Cursory Look on His Contribution to the Grounds of Modern Atheism

Understanding Descartes’ Epistemological Revolution:

A Cursory Look on his Contribution to the Grounds of Modern Atheism

A Term Paper Presented to the Faculty of Arts and Letters

University of Santo Tomas

In Partial Fulfillment of the course Epistemology

Submitted by

Joshua Mariz B. Felicilda

2 PHL

October 8, 2012

UNDERSTANDING DESCARTES’ EPISTEMOLOGICAL REVOLUTION: A CURSORY LOOK ON HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE GROUNDS OF MODERN ATHEISM

Thesis Statement:

Rene Descartes, in using a new method of thinking, has influenced the way of thinking of philosophers around him. This influence is characterized by an “obsession” with clarity. Although he used his methods in affirming God’s existence, he ironically became an inspiration for atheists. His relatively new method of thinking has influenced modern thinkers, and has also laid down the foundation of Atheism.

Introduction

The Modern Classical Period of Philosophy came to a start when the philosopher Rene Descartes published his work entitled Meditations on the First Philosophy. It is in this work that he created a “revolution” in the current mainstream of his time, thus putting an end to the Medieval Philosophical Period and a start to the Classical Modern Age during the Renaissance; thus, making Rene Descartes the father of Modern Philosophy as we know it. His Meditations were hailed, along with his Methodic Doubt. Rene Descartes, in wanting to find the most certain of all things, felt the need to doubt everything first, to rid himself of “formerly accepted opinions and commence to build a new from the foundation”. In other words, he wanted to doubt everything in order to clarify which is the indubitable and the most certain of things. He can thus establish the foundation of certainty in knowledge. Through his Methodic Doubt, he was able to conclude that the mind or the “thinking self” is the most certain of all things, thus he concludes with his famous line Cogito ergo sum, “I think therefore I...