Descartes, an intelligent man of many talents, believed that knowledge came from the mind and that through self-reflection one could acquire and develop more knowledge. Through Descartes' own journey to gain more knowledge, Descartes wrote his Six Meditations. Within these Six Meditations, He forms a solid foundation on which to base his reasoning since he believes that with a stable foundation, knowledge can grow and be built. Descartes formed the basis of what modern philosophy is today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In Meditation 1, Descartes inaugurates the use of skepticism in his writings. Descartes begins to form the basis of his thinking using the method of doubt. He uses this method to cast doubt on all of his beliefs by including "things which are not entirely certain and indubitable than those which seem to me patently false", and rejecting them if even an ounce of doubt is suspected of being contained therein. . (Descartes, p. 6). Once Descartes finishes rejecting beliefs that he believes are filled with doubt, he begins to build his foundation with true knowledge. Through the exploration of his internal senses and his doubt, Descartes reveals that it is possible that he is dreaming. This leads to the point that a person may have difficulty distinguishing reality from dream. Speaking of reality and dreams, Descartes said: “How often has it happened to me that in the night I dreamed that I was in this particular place, that I was dressed and sitting by the fire, when in reality I was lying undressed in my bed! At this moment it seems to me that I am looking at this paper with my eyes awake; that this head that I move is not asleep, that it is deliberately and voluntarily that I hold out my hand and see it; what happens during sleep does not appear as clear or as distinct as all this” (Descartes, p. 7). Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay While doubting everything about his beliefs, Descartes ends up doubting what he believes about God. He presents his beliefs about God while using skepticism by introducing the idea that God is a powerful deceiver. “I will then suppose, not that God who is supremely good and source of truth, but some evil genius no less powerful than deceptive, has used all his energies to deceive me” (Descartes, p. 8). While discussing the idea that God is a deceiver, Descartes presents the idea that God is actually a mischievous demon whose intent is to deceive and deceive Descartes and his beliefs..