3 Críticas a DESCARTES que NO CONOCES 😯 | Filosofía Moderna

About this video

• Video Title: 3 Críticas a DESCARTES que NO CONOCES 😯 | Filosofía Moderna
• Channel: Adictos a la Filosofía
• Speakers: E (Speaker 1), P (Speaker 2)
• Duration: 00:07:48

Overview

This video presents three criticisms of René Descartes' philosophy, arguing that his foundational method of doubting everything and starting from scratch is flawed. The speakers, E and P, discuss how Descartes overlooks the importance of the "other" (the tú), fails to genuinely doubt all prior opinions by not questioning his concept of God or memory, and undervalues the tradition of philosophical thought. The video suggests that these oversights lead to an unnecessarily difficult and incomplete philosophical starting point.

Key takeaways

• The Neglect of the "Other": Descartes' focus on the self ("yo") and God neglects the concept of "the other" (tú). The video argues that our sense of self is formed through interaction with others, making the "other" logically prior to the "self," a point Descartes' method fails to adequately address.
• Incomplete Doubt: Descartes claims to doubt everything but doesn't genuinely question all prior opinions. Specifically, his concept of a perfect, omnipotent God is presented as an innate idea without sufficient doubt, and his memory, despite its fallibility, is not subjected to the same radical skepticism as the senses.
• The Flaw of Starting from Scratch: The video criticizes Descartes' ambition to begin philosophy and knowledge from absolute zero. It posits that this is not only impossible (requiring the reinvention of language and concepts) but also unnecessary.
• Undervaluation of Tradition: Descartes' attempt to start anew overlooks the value of philosophical tradition, which represents the accumulated knowledge and experience of countless thinkers. Engaging with tradition, rather than discarding it, is presented as a more fruitful way to advance knowledge.
• The Legacy of Descartes' Method: Descartes' approach of attempting to build knowledge from a blank slate has influenced subsequent philosophers like Malebranche and Spinoza, who also sought to establish new philosophical systems, often with the belief they could do it better than Descartes.