Friday, February 8, 2008
Med Para 7 & 8 & 9: Explanations to criticisms
Are the existence and essence of God interchangeable? Descartes believes they are not, however, he also recognizes it is easy for someone to be mistaken and separate the two. He compares separating God’s essence from existence like separating a mountain from a valley. The argument is a mountain cannot be separated from a valley just as God’s essence cannot be separated from his existence. God is a perfect being and how can a perfect being not exist since existence is a characteristic of perfection. Can one think of a perfect being without perfection existing? What really is perfection? It doesn’t seem that Descartes really defines what perfection is. To me, perfection is different for everyone. Thus everyone’s “God” would possess differing characteristics. Perfection does not have to be flawless to all; some may see one person’s view of the “perfect” “God” as imperfect. Thus, I am finding it very find to read without questioning his arguments to the criticisms.
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2 comments:
I feel the same way that someones view of the perfect God coud differ greatly from that of another person. it is very difficult to say one thing or person is the perfect God.
Yeah, it is. So when Descartes talks about God having all the qualities of perfection, he is talking about the qualities he thinks are perfect. He says existence is a quality of perfection and thus, God must exist. However, who says existence is a characteristic of perfection. Some people say perfection is nonexistent, and thus, God does not exist.
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