Phil 1101 1st Edition Lecture 8Outline of Last Lecture I. Why Reasons MatterII. Tradition and CommunityIII. When Communities DisagreeIV. Why Giving Reasons MattersV. Reasons and DemocracyVI. Sum UpOutline of Current Lecture I. Descartes and SkepticismII. The Skeptical ChallengeIII. First PremiseIV. Descartes’ StrategyV. 2nd MeditationCurrent LectureI. Descartes and Skepticisma. How do you know that you’re not dreaming right now?b. Descartes is worried that you might be dreaming right now and not enrolled in this class or collegec. He became frustrated that not everyone agreed upon what method/sources are more reliabled. He wants to find:i. What is knowledge?ii. Do we know anything for certain?iii. Do we have any methods for knowledge?e. Many things he was taught to believe in his youth was false and consequently his entire knowledge foundation unstablei. He wants to see if there is anything he actually really knows and see if he can find method that will allow him to get to other knowledgeThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.ii. He acts as the most extreme skeptic because he believes answering the skeptic’s question is the only way to make sure you have stable, real knowledgeII. The Skeptical Challengea. 1. I know that p only if I can rule out every possibility that not-p.b. 2. I can’t rule out very possibility that not-p.c. Therefore, I don’t know that p.i. For anything you say you know, you don’t really knowIII. First Premise: A condition on knowledgea. Basic thought: we can know p only if we can rule out the possibility of mistake or errori. We have to rule out the possibility if we’re wrongb. Real knowing is different from being ‘pretty sure’IV. Descartes’ Strategya. Descartes is NOT a skepticb. He aims to defeat skepticism by beating it at its own gamec. Skeptical Possibility 1: Sense Deceptioni. Our senses have deceived us in the pastii. So we can’t rule out the possibility that they are deceiving us right nowd. Descartes’ Responsei. In order to know that our senses have deceived us, they must have once given us good informatione. Skeptical Possibility 2: Dreamingi. 1. I know that p only if I can rule out every possibility that not-p.ii. 2. I can’t rule out the possibility that I am only dreaming that p.iii. 3. If I am only dreaming that p, then it is possible that not-p.iv. Therefore, I don’t know that p.f. Descartes’ Responsei. All our dreams contain shapes, colors, and quantities. So shapes, colors, and quantities must at least be realg. Skeptical Possibility 3: the Evil Demoni. Right now everything can be the product of a malevolent force trying to deceive usii. 1. I know p only if I can rule out every possibility that not-piii. 2. I can’t rule out the possibility that an evil demon is making me believe that p when really not-piv. Therefore, I don’t know that pV. 2nd Meditation: the Cogitoa. Descartes realizes that he can’t be wrong about this at least: That he exists as a thinking thingi. For to doubt that one exists is to thinkii. So I can’t doubt that I think without