Exploring Descartes' Claim: Can Clear and Distinct Perception Guarantee the Existence of God?

Descartes is a French philosopher who developed the trademark argument. This is an argument that is associated with the idea of the existence of God. In the argument, Descartes asks himself where he got the idea from. The idea of such a perfect infinite being could not have been a factor in his creation. He came up to the conclusion that the idea of the existence of God is inbuilt inside of him. This means that during the time God created him he left a mark in him that marks His stamp. The notion form the bible that was created in God’s image ascertains this claim. As God created us, he left a mark in as. Descartes uses this analogy to show that the image of God remains in us as an idea and it forms this idea that he came to know of the existence of God. The beginning of this meditation by Descartes begins with him being certain that he exists because he thinks and he thinks, therefore, he exists. The idea of the existence of God is beyond Descartes reality, yet the idea exists. He argues that God is infinite and also perfect. God is the only one that can incept such an infinite and perfect idea. People think and can develop ideas of themselves and other people, but according to Descartes, it is impossible to develop the idea of the existence of God. The concept of the distance of God has a reality far more complex than the human mind can conceive. It is this notion that the mind cannot come up with such a complex and infinite idea and as a result, only God could have created the idea, and thus God exists.

First Objection: Reconstruct the Cartesian Circle

The Cartesian circle is based on the circular reasoning that was exhibited by Descartes in his argument for the existence of God. The Descartes argument that brings out the circular reasoning is what he clearly and distinctively perceives is the truth, and that is the existence of God. At the same time, he argues he’s guarantee of the existence of God is based he clearly and distinctively perceives it. This makes it circular as he returns to the same point. The two arguments are more or less the same. In meditations, Descartes ascertains the existence of God using an appeal to clarity and distinctiveness of perception. He argues that God is not a deceiver because of his clear and distinct perception. This affirms that God is infinite and also perfect. However, based these arguments Descartes creates a circular argument by first proving that a God is a non-deceiver because of the reliability of his distinct and clear perceptions. He goes again and proves his clear, distinct perceptions are based on the existence of God. This becomes the first object of the trademark argument as it shows errors in the argument and thus develops doubts in many philosophers of the time which object Descartes’ arguments for the existence of God.

Second objection

The Cartesian circle is the first objection to the trademark argument and explores the circular reasoning by Descartes in the explanation of clear and distinct perception as the truth, however. There are other objects to the argument. One of the objections is based on Descartes’s insistence that the ideas of a perfect and infinite God are not negative. At the same time, he argues that we have a very distinct and clear perception of the existence of God meaning that our minds are powerful to have had such an idea. However, this contradicts with his argument that our finite mind could not have created the idea of the existence of God. The other objection of the argument is based on the existence of effect has to be based on a cause.  This is referred to as the causal adequacy, and this is associated with the fact that the cause of an object must in itself have a level of reality as the object. Descartes relied on this notion for the trademark argument. However, an objection of the causal adequacy is the existence of effects with certain properties that do not exist in the cause. This shows that some effects have more reality than the cause and completely discredits Descartes argument.  Another important object of the trademark is that not everyone has the idea of the existence of God. Descartes argues that the idea of God’s existence is innate and was marked as a stamp by God when he created us. However, this idea ought to be universal yet not every person has it. These objections have led to the acceptance in the society that there is no proof of the existence of God. However, the existence of God cannot be proved by the simple intellect; it requires more of faith to believe in God.

Work Cited

Stout, Rowland. "Descartes's Hidden Argument for the Existence of God." British Journal for the History of Philosophy, vol. 6, no. 2, June 1998, p. 155.