Are We the Wax?
Descarte used a piece of wax as an example of what is failing our senses. Or how they can decieve us. He says “Perhaps the wax was what i now think it is: namely that the wax itself never really was the sweetness of the honey, nor the fragrance of the flowers…but instead was a body that a short time ago minfested itself to me in these ways and now does so in other ways.” But what more are we than that wax? we take on what is around us, the culture, the language, the sights, sounds, and smells. Each one of us has been molded, shaped, and contorted by the society we live, or have lived in. So how impossible is the task that Descarte attempted to take on? How can we just let go of every thing that has created us. We are nothing more than a compilation of others thoughts and opinions. Even if you claim to “not follow the crowd” you still have allowed them to manipulate your being. It is impossible for us to be like the wax in the way that, just being completely melted and losing all that was put into us. Now we may attempt to ignore, or forget our past, but noone can argue that their past experiences have shaped us to be what we are. The only thing we have that we can actually manipulate at all is the present. But what decisions can we make that can later be remade? What beliefs can we stand on now that we can’t later doubt? The idea that the only thing we can truly stand on is the fact that we ourselves can verify solely our very own existance is terrifying. There is nothing that you can build off that. I am existing because I think I am? Its hard for me to comprehend the fact that my very soul could be just a figment of my imagination. The only thing that can keep me at peace is the fact that I can stand solidly on my faith. Be it wrong faith or right faith, I refuse to question. If that makes me a lesser person so be it, but it makes me a being with something to look forward to. Regardless if what I’m looking towards is a giant mirage, I’m still able to base it on a solid belief on something that matters to me. If for a second anyone believes that their faith is above mine, or below mine, they are correct. For its not the object that we base our faith on, its the notion that there is something to base it on, be it God, or Buddah, or your kitchen sink for all I care. Its something that means you have that choice. Which making that choice is what makes us human. Even if we are being decieved.
2 Responses to 'Are We the Wax?'
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A couple of points:
1) You are absolutely right about Descartes’s conclusions: everything we think we know about ourselves that we have gained from experience could be nothing more than a delusion, and therefore can be doubted. The only thing we know for certain is that we are thinking. Therefore the core of who we are, according to Descartes, is our mind, our thoughts; these alone cannot be doubted.
2) But that means that “your very soul” is nothing more than your thoughts, since that alone cannot be separated from who you are. Descartes cannot conclude from this that the soul is immortal, but he has good reason to think it is possible, since it is metaphysically distinct from the body.
3) Beyond everything else, Descartes has very good reason to call so many of his beliefs into doubt. Descartes thinks that if he doesn’t engage in systematic doubt, he cannot hope to engage in science. Without doubt, we cannot hope to know anything about the world. You refuse to question your beliefs; on Descartes’ view, you have given up the project of attempting to understand the world. Do you think this is a fair characterization? Can knowledge of the world only come from a skeptical stance?
Daniel Estrada
22 Sep 08 at 11:40 pm
From what I gathered, Descartes analysis of the wax was a depiction that further developed his notion of our reliance on the senses. Thus, my understanding led me to believe that the wax was a metaphor used to show us that what our senses tell us should be doubted because all of those characteristics can be changed (instantaneously).
Building further on what you said about the impossibility of the task Descartes was attempting to take on, it doesn’t seem feasible in any sense. How can he/we just let go of everything that has happened or that we have experienced for this greater purpose. Our outlook on life is shaped entirely on our interactions with society. Even if we conform to the non-conformist perspective, we nonetheless have been shaped by opting to not be something that is in our midst.
This was the central argument that I had with his later meditations. He tells us to doubt everything from so many angles and does such a thorough analysis to come to his one conclusion. However, then he just makes this huge leap and various assertions that lead to the existence of G-d. Yet, his analysis isn’t strong enough. It is evident, through the language he uses, that this belief in the existence of G-d was presupposed/predetermined. That was, no doubt, the influence of society and his upbringing (perhaps even the power of purse the Church had on him at the time). That entire sections was just unsatisfying.
Lihy E.
23 Sep 08 at 12:48 am