Descartes Tells Us That He Can Doubt That "I Am

question 308

Multiple Choice

Descartes tells us that he can doubt that "I am in this place, seated by the fire, clothed in a winter dressing gown, that I hold in my hands this piece of paper," because …

• A) "I perceive so clearly that there exist no certain marks by which the state of waking can ever be distinguished from sleep."
• B) "If I do so, then I am not insane."
• C) "I might have been hypnotized by some evil genius."
• D) "The results of physical sciences such as biology, chemistry, and physics cannot be applied to sleeping states and dreams."

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Definitions:

Lump Sum Payment

A payment made in a single lump sum amount, often used in the context of paying off debts or settling transactions.

Sinking Fund

A reserve fund established by setting aside revenue over a period of time to fund a future capital expense or repay a long-term debt.

Year-end Amounts

Refers to the final recorded figures of financial accounts at the end of the fiscal year, important for financial reporting and analysis.

Compounded Annually

Interest calculation method where the interest is added to the principal sum at the end of each year, so that the balance also earns interest in the following year.