Rene Descartes - Being and Nothingness (Discourse on Method, pt. 4) - Philosophy Core Concepts

Check out the 8-Week Rene Descartes' Meditations, Objections, & Replies class - https://reasonio.teachable.com/p/rene... Get Descartes' Discourse on Method - https://amzn.to/2JpMP7i Support my work here -   / sadler   Philosophy tutorials - https://reasonio.wordpress.com/tutori... This is a video in my new Core Concepts series -- designed to provide students and lifelong learners a brief discussion focused on one main concept from a classic philosophical text and thinker. This Core Concept video focuses on Rene Descartes' work The Discourse on Method, specifically on his references in part 4 to being and nothingness (néant) in relation to truth and falsity. Descartes writes of our ideas - when they are clear and distinct - as being true and as participating in being. When our ideas are confused and obscure, they are false and - as he tells us - they "participate in nothingness." We can also think about our own metaphysical status as poised in some sense between the fullness of being and nothingness. If you'd like to support my work producing videos like this, become a Patreon supporter! Here's the link to find out more - including the rewards I offer backers:   / sadler   You can also make a direct contribution to help fund my ongoing educational projects, by clicking here: https://www.paypal.me/ReasonIO If you're interested in philosophy tutorial sessions with me - especially on Cicero or Stoicism more generally! - click here: https://reasonio.wordpress.com/tutori... You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Descartes' Discourse on Method here - https://amzn.to/2JpMP7i