Descartes argues that he might be dreaming without being aware of it in order to demonstrate that:
A) he cannot be sure of his sanity.
B) he might be deceived by an "evil genius."
C) even the clearest sense perceptions may be false.
D) even the simplest arithmetic calculations, such as that 2+3=5, might be wrong.
E) even the simplest logical inferences might be invalid.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Descartes argues that even the clearest sense perceptions may be false, not just because he might be dreaming without being aware of it, but also because he can conceive of the possibility of an evil genius or demon deceiving him into believing false things. This leads to his famous skeptical method of doubting everything until he can find a foundation of certain knowledge.

Descartes Argues That He Might Be Dreaming Without Being Aware