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I want a variation on "Cogito ergo sum."

 
 
Reply Mon 31 Aug, 2009 01:19 pm
No argument with Descartes, but for theological reasons I would like to write:
"God thinks, therefore I am."
Much obliged for any answer! Peter
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Type: Question • Score: 5 • Views: 5,201 • Replies: 10
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contrex
 
  1  
Reply Mon 31 Aug, 2009 01:50 pm
@inhocsigno,
Deus cogitat ergo sum
Francis
 
  1  
Reply Mon 31 Aug, 2009 01:56 pm
@contrex,
However:
Sum, ergo Deus cogitat.

Only my opinion...
contrex
 
  1  
Reply Mon 31 Aug, 2009 02:20 pm
@Francis,
Francis wrote:
Only my opinion...


And mine.

0 Replies
 
ebrown p
 
  1  
Reply Mon 31 Aug, 2009 02:27 pm
That doesn't make any sense.... I mean when Descartes says "I think therefore I am" he is offering the fact that he thinks as proof of his own existence. Of course, Descartes is sure of his own thoughts, meaning that his own thoughts are a perfectly reasonable thing for him to base a proof on.

When you say "God thinks therefore I am", you are offering God's thoughts as proof of your existence. This is illogical for two reasons.

1) No one is privy to God's thoughts, meaning that God's thoughts are not a good basis for proof of anything.
2) Your existence is not in question.

Now some people would say the Bible is a good source of God's thoughts, but the very fact that you read the Bible proves your existence... meaning that again the whole idea is rather silly.

Let me suggest an alternative. What about

"I am, therefore God thinks.".

In this case you would be using the fact of your own existence (something that thanks to Descartes you can be sure about) as proof that God actually has a brain. Depending on how logical your own existence happens to be, this might make sense.

I just hope you haven't gotten the tattoo yet.



ebrown p
 
  1  
Reply Mon 31 Aug, 2009 02:29 pm
@ebrown p,
Darn... I should have read all the responses before posting mine...
Francis
 
  1  
Reply Mon 31 Aug, 2009 02:34 pm
@ebrown p,
Isn't that upsetting? Twisted Evil
0 Replies
 
joefromchicago
 
  1  
Reply Mon 31 Aug, 2009 03:11 pm
@ebrown p,
ebrown p wrote:

That doesn't make any sense.... I mean when Descartes says "I think therefore I am" he is offering the fact that he thinks as proof of his own existence. Of course, Descartes is sure of his own thoughts, meaning that his own thoughts are a perfectly reasonable thing for him to base a proof on.

Actually, "God thinks, therefore I am" is a pretty succinct summary of George Berkeley's idealism, which was a rejection of Cartesian dualism.
0 Replies
 
solipsister
 
  1  
Reply Mon 31 Aug, 2009 09:27 pm
@inhocsigno,
if god thinks you aint
0 Replies
 
Merry Andrew
 
  1  
Reply Tue 1 Sep, 2009 12:03 am
How about Cogito sum ergo sum. Cogito

Actually this translates best into English if pronounced with a heavy Mexican accent.
Francis
 
  1  
Reply Tue 1 Sep, 2009 12:51 am
@Merry Andrew,
Cogitas ergo es..
0 Replies
 
 

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