Two and a half pages of reading this week, can you handle it? Don't
be fooled that it will be a quick read, you'll find yourself at many points
re-reading sentences, paragraphs, and, indeed, the entire thing several times
and more. In other words, it's still a half-hour to forty-five minute
reading assignment when done correctly.
You should now be much better identifying the dialectic after last week's
reading assignment. Good, because you'll need those same skills this
week. In fact, the homework assignment this week will require all the
skills we've developed thus far. Because we should have much better
analytical skills, though this is a harder passage than the last three, I
will not go paragraph to paragraph providing hints. Plus, the dialectic
is much easier to follow here (it almost alternates from paragraph to paragraph;
look at the first word or words at the beginning of each paragraph). It
may be helpful to circle all KEYWORDS. We'll talk about them in class.
Reading Guide.
The third paragraph begins somewhat awkwardly with a "But". This should
be a familiar dialectic keyword by now. Notice that I've erased the
first half of the dialectic and began with the second part. No matter,
the first part was unimportant. This first sentence in paragraph three
means simply, "Now that I have shown that clear and distinct ideas can be
trusted, is not this a possible basis for an argument to prove the existence
of God?" Notice, that Descartes refers to this as "another argument".
The first one nobody to this day takes seriously.
A "sophism" is simply a false argument.
An object's "essense" is simply those characteristics that define, or are
fundemental, to it. For example, the essense of a sword includes its
blade. In other words, if a sword didn't have a blade, it would not
longer be a sword. Objects can have many attributes within its
essense.
Page 46 contains the most important information. Re-read and re-read
until you can finally answer the homework questions confidently.
In the middle of page 47, the paragraph ends by objecting to three possible
arguments against his position. Circle the keywords that each one. Re-read
the first one several times: we'll be discussing that one in class. The
second one you can skip. The third one is an important challenge for
each one of you. What are some of the "many other attributes of God"?
In other words, what are some of his "perfections"? To help you
answer this, think of what is traditionally thought of as God's attributes.
Homework Assignment (you are doing more work than is needed if it
goes beyond one page, double spaced).
#1 According to Descartes, the existence (attribute) of God (subject/essense)
is no less inseparable than what attribute and subject in geometry? ...than
what attribute and subject in the natural world?
#2 What is the overall conclusion of the essay (you may be able to
answer this in two words)? Give Descartes' reason to think this is
true.
#3 Describe one objection to this argument. There are many of
them, you need only provide one.
