The first premise of Descartes's ontological argument was that whatever Descartes vividly and clearly perceives to be true is true. From this premise, he inferred that God exists. But, at the same time, when defending the reliability of vivid and clear perception, Descartes appealed to his theism. Philosophers have called this argument the
A) Cartesian fallacy.
B) Cartesian circle.
C) naturalistic fallacy.
D) slippery slope.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Descartes's argument is circular because the reliability of his perception and the existence of God rely on each other. He uses his belief in God to justify the reliability of his perception, and then uses his perception to conclude the existence of God. This circularity has led philosophers to criticize his argument as logically flawed, and it is famously known as the Cartesian circle.

The First Premise of Descartes's Ontological Argument Was That Whatever