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Rene Descartes

Rene Descartes Quotes

Philosopher

Rene Descartes, a French philosopher, mathematician, scientist, and logician, is one of the most important thinkers in the history of Western philosophy. His philosophical ideas have had a profound impact on subsequent generations, particularly for his famous proposition 'Cogito, ergo sum'. Born on March 31, 1596, Descartes died on February 11, 1650.

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All Mind Thinking Ifs Math Certain Wells Body Mathematical Mathematics Has Beens Men Science World Doubt Knows Reason Dream Logic Aries Believe

Famous Rene Descartes Quotes

“I know that I exist; the question is, What is this 'I' that 'I' know.”

Knows Knowledge

Author:Rene Descartes

“... moral certainty is certainty which is sufficient to regulate our behaviour, or which measures up to the certainty we have on matters relating to the conduct of life which we never normally doubt, though we know that it is possible, absolutely speaking, that they may be false.”

Knows May Matter Moral Doubt Certainty Sufficient Behaviour

Author:Rene Descartes

“The only thing that I know, is that I know nothing”

Author:Rene Descartes

“How do we know that anything really exists, that anything is really the way it seems ot us through our senses?”

Knows Way Seems Senses

Author:Rene Descartes

“For how do we know that the thoughts which occur in dreaming are false rather than those others which we experience when awake, since the former are often not less vivid and distinct than the latter?”

Knows Dream Former Awake Latter Vivid

Book:Discourse on the Method and the Meditations

Source: Discourse on the Method and the Meditations

“I have concluded the evident existence of God, and that my existence depends entirely on God in all the moments of my life, that I do not think that the human spirit may know anything with greater evidence and certitude.”

Thinking Knows Humans May Philosophy Moments Spirit Existence Greater Depends Evidence Evident Human Spirit Existence Of God Certitude

Author:Rene Descartes

“Be that as it may, there is fixed in my mind a certain opinion of long standing, namely that there exists a God who is able to do anything and by whom I, such as I am, have been created. How do I know that he did not bring it about that there is no earth at all, no heavens, no extended thing, no shape, no size, no place, and yet bringing it about that all these things appear to me to exist precisely as they do now?”

Knows Mind May Long Has Beens Able Earth Certain Heaven Opinion Shapes Standing Size Fixed

Author:Rene Descartes

“I should consider that I know nothing about physics if I were able to explain only how things might be, and were unable to demonstrate that they could not be otherwise.”

Ifs Knows Should Might Able Science Physics

Author:Rene Descartes

“I am thinking, therefore I exist. (...) I was a substance whose whole essence or nature is solely to think, and which does not require any place, or depend on any material thing, in order to exist. Accordingly this 'I' - that is, the soul by which I am what I am - is entirely distinct from the body, and indeed is easier to know than the body, and would not fail to be whatever it is, even if the body did not exist.”

Ifs Thinking Knows Doe Soul Whole Body Order Failing Materials Depends Easier Essence Substance Material Things I Am What I Am

Author:Rene Descartes