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Question: Is Descartes' (the philosopher) cogito argument performance or an inference and why!?
I have an essay to write on this and I haven't a clue as to where I should even start!Www@QuestionHome@Com


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a bit of a coincidence the same sort of conversation went on Yahoo answer quite recently
here you go
it might add an extra bit of illumination at third hand
cheers

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Is Descartes' cogito argument an inference or a performance!?
anyone!?
21 hours ago
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20 hours ago

Thank you Gabriel, I am starting to understand!. One could also reason that it is a performance because the cogito is only indisputable in it's performance!?
Could you maybe let me know the sources you quoted: cf!. ibid!., pp!. 121-2,
maybe I can read them up!.
Thanks so much
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the term "the cogito" is (often confusingly) used to refer to an argument from it!. Descartes felt that this phrase, which he had used in his earlier Discourse, had been misleading in its implication that he was appealing to an inference, so he changed it to "I am, I exist" (also often called "the first certainty") in order to avoid the term "cogito!."

the Cogito is construed as a performance, the very act of thinking that I exist (or wondering whether I exist) demonstrating its truth!. It is the ‘existential self-verifiability’ of ‘I exist’ that provides the required indubitability when I follow the Cogito line of thought (cf!. ibid!., pp!. 121-2)!. However, it is hard to reconcile this interpretation with Descartes’ texts!. In particular, it is not the thought that I exist that is pivotal in his reasoning, and the relationship to his sceptical considerations is rendered unclear!.

(I would say it is a performance) hope this helps
21 hours ago
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He infers that he can separate himself from thought!. People assume they are their bodies!.There is no way even to perform this!. I AM THAT I AM is all you can say!. Otherwise you fall into duality which is illusion!. This is the same trap Adam and Eve made for themselves!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It is neither!. It is merely an affirmation of the first person singular, present indicative!.

Harleigh Kyson Jr!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

noWww@QuestionHome@Com