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The Spy in the Fortune Cookie says:

There is no original, only obscure. We cannot manifest that which we cannot perceive. We cannot perceive that which does not exist outside our reality.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Cognito Ergo Sum: Profiling

Je ponce, donc je suis.
-Descartes

I think, therefore I am.
I shall assume, since you are interested enough in philosophy to read my blog, that you understand the concept of this statement. But this statement also says something about psychology. Literally, the statement says that reality itself (the act of being) is a product of thinking.

On profiling:
Postmodern stereotyping is simply an example of this principle. The stereotype, the act of "thinking", is molding the target, whatever or whoever is being stereotyped, into a certain reality within the mind.
Descartes also said that the mind served as the basic platform of faith in reality (for without it, one would go insane). A mental platform is created by creating a basic thought of a target before becoming fully familiar with that object or person. In conclusion, I'm not saying stereotypes are justified, but rather to give the initial prejudices against anything a little meaning.

I understand that was confusing. I'm tired.

4 comments:

Mendicant said...

Bruce Lee argues that this statement means nothing more than to say that descartes is a thinker.

The act of thinking in itself does not directly signify existence.

Thus, for it to function should be, (as Bruce Lee worded it):

"Sum, ergo cognito."

I am, therefore I think. In which the thinker is a real, tangible part of the life being observed, and thus her/his/its thinking cannot be dismissed as abstract and unreal.

Мартин Флaнaгaн said...

Descartes is a thinker. That is all he can be certain of. If he weren't, he'd be insane. The point is that humans require mental ground to stay sane.

Mendicant said...

But existence needs mental acknowledgment anyways. Which means that Descartes could still be considered insane if his tangible existence was questioned.

Мартин Флaнaгaн said...

At this point, aren't we off the topic of profiling?