How to write an introduction

In his Meditations, Renee Descartes argues that we cannot be certain, at this moment, if we are dreaming or awake. In the paper that follows, I will show how Descartes comes to this conclusion, by explaining the steps of his argument. Then, I will offer my own critique of his argument, by showing that we can in fact know if we are dreaming or awake.

edited version:

In his Meditations, Renee Descartes argues that we cannot be certain if we are dreaming or awake, since dreams can have the same vivacity as being awake . In the paper that follows, I will show how Descartes comes to this conclusion, by explaining, firstly, his overall goal, namely a foundation of sciences, secondly how he criticizes our former foundations, and thirdly how from this unfolds a series of distrusts that ends with him questioning our state of being awake. Afterwards I will criticize Descartes for being to radical with his critique. Even though we are in a dream state this would be still our reality. In the end of my essay I will demonstrate an alternative to Descartes, namely a pragmatic philosophy that does not need an ultimate foundation but that focuses on the question of how we actually our lives.


State your overall goal: In the following paper, I will contest Descartes' assumption that states of being awake and states of dreaming are indistinguishable. In his Meditations, Renee Descartes argues that we cannot distinguish these states because both states have the same vivacity. In particular, I will show how Descartes comes to this conclusion, by explaining how he firstly attempts to find a foundation for sciences, how he secondly introduces his method of doubt, how thirdly criticizes our foundations of former knowledge, and how he finally arrives at this controversial claim. Then, I will offer my own critique of his argument, by showing that the question itself is rather theoretical than practical. My solution to the problem is therefore that we can derive a pragmatic sciences without an his extreme doubt. This we can assume that our reality is true for us.