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"Metaphysical Meditations" Descartes What is the strategic value of the piece of wax example in Cartesian thought?

"Metaphysical Meditations"
René Descartes
Second Meditation: Analysis of the piece of wax example
What is the strategic value of the piece of wax example in Cartesian thought?

As we saw earlier, Descartes clearly and distinctly known by its nature as a thinking subject ("I think therefore I am"). Following Descartes's concern will be out of that immediate knowledge of its existence, to move towards the reality outside it.
We wonder so how can we know? How can we say other stocks? To answer Descartes carefully examine this different possibilities of knowing by the example of the piece of wax. First, refer to the senses, saying that we can not rely on what they show because sensitive or accidental qualities of objects (color, flavor, aroma, etc.) Are subject to change, but is superfluous because, although These vary not affect what the object is, its essence (primary qualities), in this case "be" the wax. Second Descartes referred to the imagination that allows us to know the physical body wax as extensive, but still could never imagine any changes to the extension (length, width, and depth) and figure they could have. Thus concluded that I can not know the wax senses or imagination, but because I understand that I may have the idea of \u200b\u200bthe wax.
say then that I have a clear and distinct idea that "am", but it is important to note that the existence of ideas in my mind is not proof of the existence of the things they represent out of me. Thus we find what he called innate ideas, one of them is the idea of \u200b\u200bhimself that by this example has been improved (the idea of \u200b\u200bthinking substance finite = res cogitans) and the idea of \u200b\u200bbodies (the idea of \u200b\u200bfinite extended substance = res extensa ) that are clearly in the already worked "Distinction real body and soul "and the example of the piece of wax.


What shortcomings gives the example of the piece of wax?
As we saw, the example of the piece of wax allows Descartes to know a little more of himself, what place have their senses and understanding in the know. But this will raise some difficulties, the first of these is the question of what are the things then? And we find that for now things are just ideas of them has my mind-body idea, sky, feeling, etc., which are included in my thoughts without realizing whether or not outside of me. Is thus the world reduced to my ideas, my understanding But why was there nothing else?.
Another problem deeper into the question - is also raised by Mario Caimi - is to ask what I'm worth to judge which is the same wax or not in spite of noticeable changes. In the example of wax and also to observe the window and see suits and umbrellas which are finalized or judging men see clearly how the activity of judging (to say such a thing is ...) is fully subordinated to a previous experience by example say it is a man or wax because I've seen in my previous experiences through the senses. The judge and insurance seems to be a mode of thought, but if we think we see that allowing us to make judgments of what is such a thing is based on previous sensory experiences. And notice how it takes a substantial sensory and almost inevitable in the Cartesian system, so as Octave Hamelin said "Our only option is cognitive understanding, but know the task involves other faculties and even threatened the senses ... for some hazards, the senses are made to serve. " Thus, the understanding as well as the senses could be totally wrong, returning again to doubt because of those deceptions of the Evil Genius. So that we do not know if we are awake or asleep, and therefore do not know if that piece of wax actually exists or is generated by the genius that produced it with all his qualities. We would return here in the first and only certainty that continually imposing and is easier to learn than any other: my existence as a thinking, understanding, reason ... "I think therefore I am." Stefanie R.

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source Descartes, René: "Meditations" Bibliography

Caimi, Mario: "René Descartes. Discourse on Method "Colihue Ed. Buenos Aires 2004
Hamelin, Octave: "The system of Descartes' Ed Losada. Buenos Aires 1949