Descartes Second Mediation

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Descartes Second Mediation-Wax Essay

Within Descartes second mediation two types of philosophical ideology are in contrast with each other, which include both the empiricists and rationalists. The empiricists believe in knowledge through experience while the rationalists believe in knowledge derived from logic. Descartes uses the idea and concept of ‘wax’ to understand on what grounds the wax’s reality is. Is it truly wax? How do you know wax to be wax when it no longer looks the same, smells the same, or feels the same? Descartes uses his rational thinking mind to help him understand how he knows the wax to truly be wax even when melted. I believe in the rationalistic ideology more so then the empiricists because I value knowledge through logic more then knowledge through experience. I rather use my judgment on an unknown object then to experience what the object may be. For example, I would rather come to know that a chair is a weapon based on the judgment of that chair in the context that it is being used, rather then relying on my senses and experience. Although I hold the empirical way of thinking, knowledge through experience, to a high value, I believe that the rational way of thinking allows for a better understanding of both ideas and objects due to the importance of judgment.

The ideology behind the empiricists derives from the Latin words, a posteriori. A posteriori describes the knowledge they gain to have come by means of experience. For example, if you are standing on the curb of a road and get splashed by water you will learn to stand further away from the road in order to not get splashed next time. In addition to gaining knowledge by means of experience they also believe in knowledge through the senses. They bel...

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...he melted wax no longer felt, smelled, or sounded like the solid form of the wax. Therefore the senses and discredit the validity of the wax. However, through judgment we are able to confirm that the melted wax is the same wax observed before being melted. Although I believe both ways of thinking are useful more or less in certain situations I would hold the rational way of thinking, the thinking based upon logic, to a higher degree. Rational thinking allows for us to make judgment on ideas and objects we have yet to experience, it allows for us to have a better chance of not only living but making better assumptions and choices. Rational thinking allows for us to make judgments about substances and determine the validity of both ideas and objects, which lets us see both the differences of things such as hot wax and wax and see that in essence they are the same.

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