Q&A: Follow-up Question on Descartes’ Anthropological Argument
Follow-up Question on Descartes’ Anthropological Argument
Question
Hello Rabbi, I previously spoke with you about Descartes’ anthropological argument, and you said you do not accept it because you argued that we are capable of grasping infinity simply as an extension of finite reality in the world.
Afterward I suggested that in Descartes’ argument, instead of examining infinity, one could examine the existence of values in reality. You agreed that values in reality are indeed objects that cannot be found in reality and are not an extension of anything, and therefore it really seems that we received them from an external source.
Assuming you agree with what has been said so far, I wanted to ask: what exactly is the difference between values and other abstract entities that human beings invented, such as banks and states? After all, you cannot examine them either—how is that different from values?
I feel there is a difference, but I just can’t pin it down. Thanks in advance.
Answer
I didn’t understand the question. Clearly, values too are something we can imagine. So what? The question is whether, in your view, values really are just imagination or not. If not, then they must have a source (see Column 456, where I explained this at length).