Perfect Model Essay On Descartes’ Wax

In his famous argument about the piece of wax, Descartes argues that perception and understanding of objects is the activity of mind rather than of sense or imagination. He suggests that a piece of wax has distinct characteristics perceived by senses. It has its shape and color which are known by sight, it has its scent which is known by the sense of smell, it gives off a specific sound when knocked with a finger, it is hard and cold. However, if this piece of wax is melted all of its former sensual attributes seize to exist and in the melted state it has wholly other characteristics. It has different color and shape, it smells differently, and no more gives off the sound. If we perceived objects with our senses, then this substance would be anything else but wax. Yet, we consider absurd to think that when melted, the wax turns into something else. It is still the same wax. This means that senses alone cannot tell us the truth about external objects.
Then it may have been the imagination that guided understanding of the wax. If all the specific sensory attributes are thrown away, what is left are its abstract characteristics. The wax may have been perceived as something flexible, movable, and, of course, extended. However, we do not use imagination to think our all the possible shapes a piece of wax can take as they would indeed be innumerable. We do not imagine long thin pieces of wax transforming into short and bulky ones as our imagination would not encompass the totality of those transitions and forms. Accordingly, the mind is what is left. Descartes concludes that it is the act of mind to understand and perceive any external object. To do this, one has to have a clear and distinct understanding of the object. Then, it can be perceived clearly in its individual form and the totality of its forms in general.
Descartes asserts that mind is the most important instance in perception and understanding. However, this should not be misleading about the role of senses in the process. While understanding is performed by intuition, the raw material for it (the sensory input) is necessary for the process to happen at all. We cannot tell that the object is a piece of wax if we do not see, hear, touch or smell it. Rather what Descartes means is that the mind classifies the sensory input into being a given object, a piece of wax, for example. In our minds, we have a concept of wax, and of the characteristics it may and may not have. When we see some object, if it has the attributes which conform to our concept of wax then we will consider it being a piece of wax. If not – we will doubt or think of it as something else but wax. Our concept of wax encompasses the hardness, whitish to yellow color, greasy touch and flexibility if cold, and liquidity, transparent color, and specific touch if hot. If we see something whitish, we touch it, and it is greasy, cold, and flexible, then we will most likely consider it being a piece of wax. However, if our understanding of the object is not clear, then we will doubt about its nature. If we do not have in our mind the full set of attributes pertinent to the object, then we will have trouble in perceiving it. For example, if we know that swans are white, have a long neck and a red beak, then when we will see a black swan our understanding will prove to be not clear. The swan will have a long neck and a red beak, but it will be black, this will eventually confuse us and will doubt whether it is a swan. If we examine it thoroughly and come to a conclusion that this is still a swan, then our understanding will become clearer as now we will be able to unmistakably tell both white and black swan.