Buddha

Descartes's thought has been subjected to almost every kind of philo- sophical criticism-from scholastic severity and Husserl's great (though not complete) praise to the recent bombast by Ryle of the Cartesian "ghost in the machine." In addition to these extremes, a host of critics have passed their judgments on the -Cartesian sins. Most of such criticisms, though by no means all of them, have been made against either Descartes's dualism or his "rationalism." And many of them, perhaps, are justified. Nevertheless, too great a preoccupation with these seemingly obvious flaws in his argument have tended to dull an apprecia- tion of the real Cartesian' contribution, the cogito. Descartes's difficulties with the mind-body problem, for example, are often the chief result of an introductory study of Cartesianism; yet the philosophic value of the cogito argument is, if touched upon at all, rarely grasped. Furthermore, as we shall observe, many outright misconceptions of even Descartes's meaning- let alone validity-have allowed themselves philosophic dignity only be- cause Descartes has already been none too graciously disposed of. The purpose of the present paper, then, is to reexamine the essential features of the cogito argument, to note some well-known criticisms which have been made of it, and to suggest a fairer evaluation of the Cartesian contributio

Descartes's thought has indeed faced a wide range of criticisms throughout the history of philosophy. From the rigorous critiques of the scholastics to Husserl's partial but significant praise, and even to the more recent bombastic dismissal by Ryle of the Cartesian "ghost in the machine," Descartes's ideas have been subjected to various degrees of scrutiny. Many of these criticisms have centered on Descartes's dualism and "rationalism," and it must be acknowledged that some of these criticisms are justified. However, it is important not to become too fixated on these apparent flaws in Descartes's reasoning, as it can lead to a diminished appreciation of his true contribution - the cogito. Often, when studying Cartesianism, one's attention is drawn to Descartes's difficulties with the mind-body problem, and yet the philosophical value of the cogito argument is frequently overlooked or misunderstood. Furthermore, many misconceptions regarding Descartes's meaning and validity have been allowed to assume philosophical respectability precisely because Descartes himself has already been discredited in certain circles. This unfair treatment of Descartes has hindered a truly fair evaluation of his contributions. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to reexamine the essential features of the cogito argument, to acknowledge the well-known criticisms that have been raised against it, and to propose a more equitable assessment of Descartes's philosophical contribution. It is crucial that we approach this topic with deep thought and a philosophical mindset, appreciating the complexity of Descartes's ideas while also acknowledging their limitations.