Descartes' Meditation V

Descartes separates external objects into those that are clear and distinct and those that are confused and obscure.

The example of clear and distinct external object are the Mathematical concepts. In meditation I those are called simple things but in this context it is an ideas.

The example of Confused and Obscure ideas are the ideas that have Extension, Duration, and Movement in external world.

Extension - any external things that has an extension in space or in 3D world.cro

Duration - any external things that has a time of existence.

Movement - any external things that explore in physical world.

Rene Descartes argues that Mathematics for example geometrical ideas, these cannot be misconstrued or combined in a way that makes them false but the other that have Extension, Duration, and Movement can be.

The following examples of confused ideas is not directly on the meditation V but this example will explain clearly what Rene Descartes is pertaining on the concept of clear and confused ideas.)

You can combine in your mind the idea of a creature with a human brain, body of a crocodile, eye of an eagle, and teeth of lion. Then construct a question asking if these creature is powerful. There is no certain answer as the ideas is yet to be discover or invented. These ideas have the extension, duration, and movement. Thus, having such those properties is confused eas.

On the other hand, no mathematical re-arrangement of a triangle could allow its three internal angles to sum to anything but 180 degrees. These ideas don't have extension, duration, and movement. Thus it is clear and distinct.

Descartes states that truths may have a nature or essence of themselves of being true and independent of the thinker.

While thinking about the independence of these ideas of external objects (Mathematical Truth), Then Descartes realized that he is just as about God as he is about these mathematical ideas as both of them have an essence and independent of the thinker.

He asserts that the ideas of God implies God's existence.

Premise 1: God is defined as an infinitely perfect being.

Premise 2: Perfection includes existence.

Conclusion: So God exists.

In this argument, the idea of God has the nature of Perfection. In other words Perfection is part of God. Then if God is perfect by the definition, or by the idea of God itself, then he has the attributes and quality of being Perfection, perfection includes existence as it attributes and quality of it. Then if God is perfect it necessarily follows that God exist

(This argument is one of the other version of Ontological argument proposed by St. Anselm of Canterbury.)

This settles his discontentment to the "distinct and clear" criteria for truth and with the confirmed existence of God, all doubt that is generated in meditation 1 are can be removed with certainty as God will not let him be deceived and now he has a distinct criteria in seeking the truth.

With all of the conclusion, Descartes asserts that without this sure knowledge in the existence of a supreme and perfect being, assurance of any uth is impossible.

(At the end of Meditation V, Rene Descartes, he successfully expand his known ideas, win the concept of Truths, create another argument for God's existence to Settle his discontentment, and destroy all of skeptical hypothesis, but the problem in solipsism (you are the only one that exists) and the external world still exist, in Meditation VI he will continue his journey to answer and settles these problems.)