On Descartes’ Theory Of Cogito

By being skeptical to all things, Descartes sorted out feelings, reason and faith,etc. one by one. Upon the completion of those clarifications, he found an"Archimedean point" beyond any doubt, namely “cogito”-existent. Based on thisdiscovery, he successively established the existence of God and objects. Descartes’cogito is the product of the pure idea of the ancient concept concerning the soul.“Cogito” is synonymous with the pure soul. Descartes called it the Mind.The natureof “cogito” refers to thinking, which is natural light--the consciousness itself, devoidof any content in consciousness. The function of the Mind includes the function ofWill, the function of Rational, the function of Imagination and the function ofSensation. Although Descartes emphasizes the epistemological significanceof rational function, he also believes that when the reason is used by Will on thingsthat can not be understood, error may occur. If we consider Descartes’ findingof “cogito” is resulted from his constant doubt and self-reflection, the “cogito” isactually established based on intuition rather than self-reflection. Descartes not onlyaffirms intellectual intuition, but also acknowledges the existence of intuitivefeelings. In epistemology, Descartes differentiates thinking from extension. Inpractice, Descartes believes that one’s body is an unity of soul and flesh.“Cogito” isthe basis of human understanding, and body is the basis of human reality. Ourunderstanding of both the existence of body and the existence of “cogito” areintuitive. Seeing that the purpose of Descartes’ theory of “cogito” serves to lay afoundation for science, his metaphysical theory demonstrates a position ofknowability. However, his knowability is derived from belief. In other words,Cartesian theory of knowability is in the light of God. Our conclusion is that,rationalism does not necessary lead to atheism, which is proved by Descartes’metaphysics.