Descartes's Method of Doubt

Synopsis of Descartes's Method of Doubt

In 'Descartes's Method of Doubt', Janet Broughton undertakes a close study of Descartes's first three meditations to answer why he thought we should take exaggerated doubts seriously and how he believed our beliefs could escape them. Broughton contrasts Descartes's doubts with those of ancient skeptics, arguing that Cartesian doubt has a novel structure and a distinctive relation to the commonsense outlook of everyday life. She provides a unified account of how Descartes uses this strategy to find certainty about his own existence and the existence of God, making this book a powerful contribution to both the history of philosophy and current debates in epistemology.