疑い得ないこと

English translation: Certainties

07:59 Nov 6, 2009
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Philosophy / "Discourse on the Method" by Descartes (デカルトの「方法序説」)
Japanese term or phrase: 疑い得ないこと
ある大学のPhilosophyの科目の講義内容のひとつとして、以下のように書いてありました。

疑い得ないこと、暫定道徳、人間 vs 機械 (デカルト 「方法序説」より)

よろしくお願いします。
Y. K.
Local time: 02:36
English translation:Certainties
Explanation:
More literally 'things which cannot be doubted' but this is rather clumsy. More formally this could be 'foundational beliefs' although there might be some subtle distinction between this and 'certainties'

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Note added at 1 hr (2009-11-06 09:44:57 GMT)
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'Certainty' might be better, although there are a small number of important such beliefs central to Descartes' thought.

More wikipedia...
Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy is a book in which Descartes first discards all belief in things which are not absolutely certain, and then tries to establish what can be known for sure. Although the phrase "Cogito, ergo sum" is often attributed with Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy it is actually put forward in his Discourse on Method however, due to the implications of inferring the conclusion within the predicate, he changed the argument to "I think, I exist"; this then becomes his first certainty.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certainty#Descartes-_17th_Centu...
Selected response from:

Steven Smith
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:36
Grading comment
Thank you for the helpful explanation and answer.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1Certainties
Steven Smith
4Exclude all doubt
Joyce A
Summary of reference entries provided
FYR
cinefil

  

Answers


20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Certainties


Explanation:
More literally 'things which cannot be doubted' but this is rather clumsy. More formally this could be 'foundational beliefs' although there might be some subtle distinction between this and 'certainties'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-11-06 09:44:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

'Certainty' might be better, although there are a small number of important such beliefs central to Descartes' thought.

More wikipedia...
Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy is a book in which Descartes first discards all belief in things which are not absolutely certain, and then tries to establish what can be known for sure. Although the phrase "Cogito, ergo sum" is often attributed with Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy it is actually put forward in his Discourse on Method however, due to the implications of inferring the conclusion within the predicate, he changed the argument to "I think, I exist"; this then becomes his first certainty.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certainty#Descartes-_17th_Centu...

Steven Smith
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:36
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 32
Grading comment
Thank you for the helpful explanation and answer.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yumico Tanaka (X): I liked Joyce's explanation too, but as a content of a lecture this may fit better.
12 hrs
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55 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Exclude all doubt


Explanation:
Rene Decartes always started with the premise of doubt, and from there, he would work on trying to "exclude all ground of doubt."

The first of four precepts of Rene Decartes in the "Discourse on Method" is:
"The first was never to accept anything for true which I did not clearly know to be such; that is to say, carefully to avoid precipitancy and prejudice, and to comprise nothing more in my judgment than what was presented to my mind so clearly and distinctly as to exclude all ground of doubt.

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Note added at 2 days20 hrs (2009-11-09 04:28:02 GMT)
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Rene Descartes always starts with the premise of doubt. He reasoned that one had to "exclude all doubt" before one could come to a state of "certainty." So, I believe his main exercise was to exclude "doubt" which is a word that is repeated numerous times with his philosophy.

As the originator of Cartesian doubt, Rene Decartes automatically put all beliefs, ideas, thoughts, and matter in doubt.
Descartes believed that doubt can be erased by studying the "first person". This heralded the term "cogito ergo sum" – "I think, therefore I am".

Example sentence(s):
  • 1. Filter away all that may be in doubt.
  • Descartes started his line of reasoning by doubting everything, so as to assess the world from a fresh perspective, clear of any preconceived notions.

    Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discourse_on_the_Method
Joyce A
Thailand
Local time: 22:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: I like your explanation as well. Thank you very much.

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Reference comments


9 mins
Reference: FYR

Reference information:
http://www.mypress.jp/v2_writers/lyuko_jinna/story/?story_id...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/René_Descartes

cinefil
Japan
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
Note to reference poster
Asker: いつも色々なReference informationをありがとうございます。参考になります。

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