... on them, although at times Descartes implausible and improbable. There are significant differences in the various arguments he uses, each strain of the argument concentrating on a different faculty of the mind that we must doubt. Essentially they are based on the same premise, but follow from each other. In his search for the truth Descartes did not want to endlessly examine all of his former beliefs, 'I will go straight for the basic principles on which all my former beliefs rested'. [Descartes, first Meditation] Our senses are these basic principles of which we base our knowledge according to Descartes. It is true that our senses can fail us from time to time. For example, it is not absurd to look into the distance on an evening and perceive to see a cow when in fact it is a horse! Also, a stick when partially placed in water appears to us ...

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