Study Questions for Descartes

1. Descartes has a method that begins by 'doubting everything'. Which among these do you think he has in mind? Aristotle, The Bible and Aquinas?  The logical arguments of a Socrates defining justice? 2. He advocates building understanding on 'clear and evident' ideas. What does he mean by that? Strong intuitions that one might have? The logical statements of mathematics? 3 What sort of God does he prove exists? How does it compare with the God of the Hebrew Bible, of Augustine, of Aquinas, or of Julian of Norwich? 4. Descartes is well known for foundational ideas about mathematical concepts. (One indication being the name of 'Cartesian coordinates'.) How does his philosophy connect with mathematics? Application: What might be the 'clear and evident ideas' in deciding a political question, say what to do about the stream of migrants, legal and illegal? The Constitution?