O. K. Bouwsma
The evil genius deceives no one: an illusion that nothing could ever reveal is no illusion.
Life
Oets Kolk Bouwsma (1898-1978), born in Muskegon (Michigan), was an American philosopher who taught at the University of Nebraska, then at the University of Texas at Austin. He wrote short essays full of images, in the spirit of ordinary-language philosophy, on Descartes, Berkeley and Wittgenstein. His article "Descartes' Evil Genius" (1949) became a classic of the discussion of scepticism.
Main works
Tries to understand what the evil genius claims to do, and concludes that he deceives no one.
A collection of his essays on knowledge, language and religion.
A posthumous collection of essays.
In his own words
« He has certainly created his own illusions, though he has not himself been deceived. But neither has anyone else been deceived. For human beings do not use the word "illusion" by relation to a sense with which only the evil genius is blessed. »
« Nevertheless the evil genius sees, touches, smells, and does detect the illusion. He made the illusion; so, of course, he must know it. »
Positions
click a row to see the evidenceHe argues that Descartes's evil genius deceives no one: we use the word 'illusion' only for what can be discovered.
Bouwsma, « Descartes' Evil Genius », The Philosophical Review 58 (1949)