1. Meditation 2. The Cogito Like a drowning man – head sinks below water and yet cannot put feet on river bed. Panic! Needs an Archimedean Point – a sure foundation. The evil demon controls my outer and inner perceptions. But…”I think therefore I am”…”Cogito ergo sum”….The Cogito. Outer world may be illusion but self consciousness is certain. Archimedean point - rock solid foundation – now he can build up.

2. Meditation 2. A Thinking Thing “I” exist for certain, but what is this “I”? Rejects common definition – “rational animal” for example – too many other questions/definitions involved! Clearly recognises inner and outer – mind and body awareness, sensation. But all outer experience is still in the control of the evil demon. What can I say I am most safely – a “thinking thing” – a mind – this is a first step in establishing Rationalism. Mental activity of the kind not dependent on senses is foundational. I am….”a thing that doubts, perceives, affirms, denies, wills, does not will, that imagines…that feels.” 2 nd Meditation.

3. Meditation 2. The Wax. (Not Syllabus) Descartes admits that despite this the external world – which may be illusion – seems, by force of habit, easier to know. But take a piece of wax how does it appear to each of the senses? Heat the wax before a fire. The wax is now utterly different to each of the senses – unrecognisable Descartes concludes it is the mind alone that can grasp that it is still wax – so the truth is not based on sense experience but on mind. “I must therefore agree that I could not even conceive by means of the imagination what the wax is, and that it is my understanding alone which conceives it” 2 nd Meditation

4. Meditation 2. Homework. Purpose:- Grasp of Flow of Argument. Resources:- class summary slides and BGDM, 18 – 24. Either:- Create a detailed mind map which represents the content of the 2 nd Meditation. (A3) Repeat as per homework exercise for 1 st Meditation but using a different genre.