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    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

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    Made withinDC&Austin
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    Home/Original/inverse
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    Inverse View

    It is not the case that Some perceptual experiences—namely, clear and distinct ones—are veridical

    ?Set your confidence on the premises below to see your aggregate.

    Reasons For

    2 perspectives
    Reason for 1 of 2
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    • 1.The criterion of 'clarity and distinctness' is itself a mental state, subject to the same skeptical doubt Descartes applies to all mental states.
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    • 2.Descartes cannot verify that his faculty for recognizing clarity is reliable without first establishing God's existence, creating a circular dependency known as the Cartesian Circle.
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    • 3.A standard that cannot be validated without presupposing its own validity provides no epistemic justification for the veridicality of any experience.
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    Reason for 2 of 2
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    • 1.Neuroscientific evidence demonstrates that subjectively vivid and compelling perceptual experiences—such as those in Charles Bonnet syndrome—are systematically non-veridical.
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      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.If phenomenological clarity does not reliably track veridicality even in well-documented cases, then felt clarity cannot serve as a sufficient condition for truth.
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      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.God exists and is perfect
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      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.A perfect God would not allow clear and distinct perceptual awarenesses to be false
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    • 3.Therefore, any clear and distinct awareness must be true
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