In effect, Descartes uses the first meditation as a sort of learning exercise teaching his readers to learn to doubt everything they believe in order to come to basic truths. ... This allows the reader to feel more in control of the argument since he is more likely to accept as true that which he feels that he discovers by his own methods. ... At times Descartes" argument is very mathematical in the formulation of his arguments, using logic as in the recurrent example "I think therefore I am." ...

• Word Count: 1200
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate