(2) Why does Descartes think he has to doubt everything? How does he go about the process of doubting all his previous beliefs?

Name
Instructor
Course
Date
Descartes Doubt about Everything
Meditations on First Philosophy address two major things. The first is the theology faculty at the University, and the other is directed to the lay readers. The outline, however, delves on the major objections to the discourses and critics to the chains of logic that drive Descartes to think that he has doubts about everything. This is evident in his warning messages where he cautions the readers to approach the material with open minds. The process of doubting himself starts immediately he experiences the first mediation. In this meditation, he adopts skepticism after accepting that he had to start all over again and avoid the belief that everything is indubitable and certain (Descartes 2). But in his dreams, he has more than convinced himself that he experiences a half-life. From doubting his very existence to the imagining of the unreal world, the book reveals how Descartes comes to believe he doubts everything.
Descartes believes in his perception of self-proclaimed truths including simple numbers and shapes. His idea of existence revolved around what is tangible and proven (4). He thinks that it is only the certainty that can establish the truth and that showing that something is certain is the only proof it is true. However, he agrees that God is not playing tricks with him. Despite having doubts about his very existence, he accepts that God is all-good and cannot intentionally deceive any being. His illusion leads him to believe in some malignant demon that is instead leading him astray.

This is part of the uncertainty revolving around Descartes. He is doubtful he exists since he does not recognize that he has an active mind in his body. Rather he believes that it is the demon and illusion that make both his body and the physical environment seem real.
The protagonist supposes that what he perceives with his sense is false, but he is not bold enough to deny the perception. This indicates a strong form of doubt both with his thoughts and understanding. The only thing he perceives as real is the mind. In the third meditation, Descartes is confident that perception and imaginations are real because they are ‘modes of thoughts’ in his mind. However, he has doubts that whether the imagination or perception holds any reality (14). His argument rests on whether there anything within him that could have him makes God up. Despite accepting that it is impossible to have a human being to dream of infinity, he doubts his infinite abilities and thinks that it is possible to have a similar power as God.
From the four major attacks: the dream argument, sense of experience, skeptical challenge towards the ability to reason and the existence of evil daemon, it is evident that Descartes has to doubt everything. He is uncertain about the existence of given things, but not beliefs on experiences. He questions his senses claiming that he has to assess their credibility and the possibilities of deceit. To him, all that is based on his sense of experience comes from the demon, but he doubts if any of it is true. It is this effort by Descartes to demolish the previous belief in search of certainty and a bid to rebuild the beliefs based on the particular foundation that causes all the doubts.

Works Cited
Descartes, René. Meditations On First Philosophy. 1st ed. Raleigh, N.C.: Alex Catalogue, 1991. Print.