Epistemology Essay Essay Example for Free

Epistemology Essay EssayDescartes uses epistemology and metaphysics to frame his famous cogito argument. But in fate to understand how that works, first, we must discuss the differences between an epistemological and a metaphysical psyche.Epistemology is a facet of philosophy interested in knowledge. And an epistemological question is a question concerned with some issue relating to knowledge, apprehension of knowledge, knowledge-world correspondence, or the origins of knowledge. What is knowledge? Is knowledge even practicable? If so, how do we get it? Does knowledge correspond to reality? How do people acquire knowledge?Is it from the world or from our experiences in the world or do we have it before we experience the world?Metaphysics is a division of philosophy interested in figuring out exactly what being is. basically any kind of question active what is, natural or supernatural, including science and religion, is a metaphysical question. Some of their perennial quest ions are what is the difference between particulars and individuals? Is on that point a reality out there? What is reality? Is there a god? What is god? Is free will a possibility? Is change possible? What is identity? How much control do agents have control over their actions?And though these two philosophies overlap in some places, they have three study differences. First, epistemology is almost always focused on being a living thing, because even if one investigates whether or not knowledge corresponds to the world, an agent is still demand to see uncover the knowledge there. Second, metaphysics is very often focused on the differences between things, and while you could ask the question Is there such a thing as knowledge? in both an epistemological and a metaphysical context, your answers could be very similar, but will likely be different.Theyd differ because epistemologically, postulation the question will usually break down into questions about the justification for belie fs and knowledge whereas a metaphysical question will focus on office the conditions to declare knowledge existent. Third, epistemology with very little exception is focused on human beings metaphysics in its very nature is about alwaysything including human beings.But, metaphysics and epistemology have a lot of similarities. One particular way both epistemology and metaphysics can be approached is mind/pure legal opinions and body/material being. And this is how Descartes approaches it in his cogito argument.While looking for the last-ditch grounds of knowledge, Rene Descartes came into despair because nothing seemed grounded and it was as if the Empiricists had won. But then a brilliant revelation finally dawned on him no matter what, in order to have any experiencein order to behe must think. He says that even if its the case an evil deceiver made up the universe just to trick us, and everything weve ever known is an illusion, we must exist as thinking things in order to be de ceived (otherwise we wouldnt be able to be deceivedthings that cant think, e.g. rocks, cant be decieved). In fact, if I didnt think I couldnt do anything or have any experienceI wouldnt existDescartes method uses a very interesting train of logic. First, he takes a metaphysical stance nothing is real. Next, he looks for things he can trust as real. This step uses epistemology (systematically verifying the contents of his knowledge) to ground a metaphysical question (what is real? What am I?). (So, its not a big surprise he ended up finding an epistemologically grounded first truth.) Finally, he uses a thought experiment, the evil deceiver, to uncover his first truth I must think in order to exist.Once he formulates the cogito, he uses it to argue the metaphysical point that mind is separate from the body. After all, thoughts arent tangible, temporal, or destructible, whereas a body and things in the world are in space, exist in time, and can be destroyed. So, because of this, he mak es a sharp metaphysical distinction between the mind and body, leaving philosophic room for religious beliefs like the afterlife and answering some questions about the mind.So, for Descartes, what I am is a thing that thinks because epistemologically, there cant be thinking without an agent to think. (And by thinking, Descartes really means understands, grasps things, has beliefs or knowledge.) Because of this, he thinks that I am separate from my body, which is a metaphysical claim. So, his idea of mind-body dualism needs both metaphysical and epistemological claims in order to function.