Descartes Cogito Argument Essay

Descartes, sometimes called the founder of modern philosophy, attempts to use the method, set forth by Galileo, to lay the foundation for Philosophy. “He also looked to defeat skepticism on its own ground” (Kemerling). His cogito argument is significant because it is the foundation for his philosophical thinking and the first solid truth after emptying the basket of apples. His evil demon and dreaming doubt arguments are part of his method of doubt and his reasoning for starting philosophical reasoning from scratch.
In order to use the scientific methods Descartes must first ensure there is an absolute certainty for a starting point of Philosophy. “If any particular truth about the world can survive this extreme skeptical challenge, then it must be truly indubitable and therefore a perfectly certain foundation for knowledge” (Kemerling). He sets up two arguments to show that one must doubt their senses. The first argument to doubt ones senses is laid out with regards to dreaming. Dreaming is so similar to being awake that are experiences may be false.
Still I hesitate; for what follows from this? Am I so tied to a body and to the senses that I cannot exist without them? But I have persuaded myself that there is absolutely nothing in the world: no sky, no earth, no minds, no bodies. Is it then the case that I too do not exist? But doubtless I did exist, if I persuaded myself of something. But there is some deceiver or other who is supremely powerful and supremely sly and who is always deliberately deceiving me. Then too there is no doubt that I exist, if he is deceiving me. And let him do his best at deception, he will never bring it about that I am nothing so long as I shall think that I am something. Thus, after everything has been most carefully weighed, it must finally be established that this pronouncement “I am, I exist” is necessarily true every time I utter it or conceive it in my mind.”