1. Look around you. Examine ads the Internet your primary school.
2. Apply to them an exercise on Descartes’ radical doubt.
3. Mention at least three things you thought were in one way, and they turned out to be something else.
4. Why do you think you were taught some things that were not true?
5. Share your thoughts in a few short paragraphs. (between 250-300 words)
6. At the bottom, share your sources.
Remember to review the academic expectations for your submission.
Submission Instructions:
- Submit your initial discussion post by 11:59 PM Eastern on Wednesday.
- Contribute a minimum of 250 words for your initial post. It should include at least 2 academic sources, formatted and cited in APA.
- Respond to at least two of your classmates’ discussion posts by 11:59 PM Eastern on Sunday. Ask a question, and provide a different viewpoint.
Application of Descartes’ Radical Doubt
When I reflect on my experiences and the information I’ve encountered throughout my life, applying Descartes’ radical doubt reveals instances where my perceptions were later challenged. In elementary school, I was taught that Christopher Columbus “discovered” America, which was presented as an unequivocal fact. It wasn’t until later that I learned this narrative oversimplified history and ignored the existence of indigenous peoples. Another example is the portrayal of food products in advertisements. Many ads suggest that certain cereals or snacks are healthy due to added vitamins or low-fat content, but closer examination often reveals these products to be high in sugar or processed ingredients, which are not beneficial for health. Lastly, growing up, I believed that adults had all the answers and that their authority was infallible. With age and experience, I’ve realized that adults, including teachers and parents, are just as prone to errors and uncertainties as anyone else.
These examples illustrate the concept of radical doubt—questioning the truth of beliefs until they can be definitively proven. I think we were taught some things that were not true either because the simplified narratives were easier for children to understand, or because the truths were inconvenient or controversial in the context of societal norms and educational agendas at the time. The Columbus story, for instance, was more palatable and aligned with the idea of American exceptionalism than the more complex reality.
Questioning the information we receive, as Descartes suggests, is essential for developing a more nuanced and accurate understanding of the world. It encourages a critical mindset that can be applied to other areas of life, prompting continuous learning and reevaluation of what we consider to be true.
Sources:
- Descartes, R. (1641). Meditations on First Philosophy.
- Zinn, H. (2015). A People’s History of the United States. Harper Perennial Modern Classics.