ABSTRACT
Thus, on the one hand, it seems reasonable to suppose that Descartes intended for certain minimal beliefs in external existence to survive the Dreaming Argument. On the other hand, the deceiving God hypothesis that is next introduced is probably supposed to do more than just provide a reason for doubting these residual existential beliefs. For beliefs about simple mathematical truths, which survive the Dreaming Argument, are finally brought into question by the last skeptical argument. And evidence from both the First and the Fifth Meditations indicates that Descartes did not regard these sciences as dependent for their truth on physical existence.
