1. Cartesian Circle General Meaning: The veil of ideas that separates us from the external world in the Mind’s Eye Model, the general difficulty of trying to move from our own minds, which we perceive directly, to the external world, which we only perceive through representations. Particular Meaning: The charge of circularity brought against D.’s argument from Meditation 3 by Arnauld.

2. Version 1.0 1. I have an idea of a perfect being 2. The cause must possess at least as much reality as the effect (this applies to the objective as well as to the formal reality of the effect). 3. I am not perfect enough to be the cause content of my idea of a perfect being. ------------------------------------- There must exist an infinitely perfect being as the cause of this idea.

3. Formal and Objective Reality Formal Reality: The reality a thing has in terms of its form. It’s reality as an independent object. For example, the formal reality of a photograph is its paper and pigment. Objective reality: The reality of the object that a thing represents. The reality a thing as a representation. The objective reality of a photo of a tree would be the actual tree.

4. Objections to 1.0 Premises 1 and 2 can both be called into question. 1 (whether we can have an idea of an infinite being.) we will leave until next class. Premise 2 seems to be true because we see it clearly and distinctly.

5. Version 1.1 1. I have an idea of a perfect being 2. The cause must possess at least as much reality as the effect (this applies to the objective as well as to the formal reality of the effect). 2a. I perceive this principle Clearly and Distinctly. 2b. All that I perceive Clearly and Distinctly must be true. 3. I am not perfect enough to be the cause of the content of my idea of a perfect being. ------------------------------------- There must exist an infinitely perfect being as the cause of this idea.

6. Objections to 1.1 But the beginning of Meditation 3 (on the surface, at any rate) seems to call 2b into question. The Discourse on Method seemed to suggest we can know this principle only through knowledge of God.

7. Version 1.2 1. I have an idea of a perfect being 2. The cause must possess at least as much reality as the effect (this applies to the objective as well as to the formal reality of the effect). 2a. I perceive this principle Clearly and Distinctly. 2b1. God is not a Deceiver 2b2. God gave me my Reason, or light of nature. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2b. All that I perceive Clearly and Distinctly must be true. 3. I am not perfect enough to be the cause content of my idea of a perfect being. ------------------------------------- There must exist an infinitely perfect being as the cause of this idea.

8. The Circle Closed 1. I have an idea of a perfect being 2. The cause must possess at least as much reality as the effect (this applies to the objective as well as to the formal reality of the effect). 2a. I perceive this principle Clearly and Distinctly. 2b1. God is not a Deceiver [Deception inconsistent with infinite being] 2b2. God gave me my Reason, or light of nature. [Infinite Being exists and created me. ASSUMES GOD EXISTS] ---------------------------------------------------------- 2b. All that I perceive Clearly and Distinctly must be true. 3. I am not perfect enough to be the cause content of my idea of a perfect being. ------------------------------------- There must exist an infinitely perfect being as the cause of this idea. [CONCLUDES GOD EXISTS]