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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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Famous Rene Descartes Quotes

“Science is practical philosophy.”

Philosophy Science Practicals

Author:Rene Descartes

“I suppose therefore that all things I see are illusions; I believe that nothing has ever existed of everything my lying memory tells me. I think I have no senses. I believe that body, shape, extension, motion, location are functions. What is there then that can be taken as true? Perhaps only this one thing, that nothing at all is certain.”

Thinking Believe Body Science Lying Certain I Believe Memories Taken One Thing Shapes Illusion All Things Function Senses Location Extensions Body Shapes

Author:Rene Descartes

“[About Pierre de Fermat] It cannot be denied that he has had many exceptional ideas, and that he is a highly intelligent man. For my part, however, I have always been taught to take a broad overview of things, in order to be able to deduce from them general rules, which might be applicable elsewhere.”

Men Ideas Might Able Science Order Taught Intelligent Broads Denied Elsewhere Exceptional Intelligent Man Overview Highly Intelligent

Author:Rene Descartes

“Even the mind depends so much on temperament and the disposition of one's bodily organs that, if it is possible to find a way to make people generally more wise and more skilful than they have been in the past, I believe that we should look for it in medicine. It is true that medicine as it is currently practiced contains little of much use.”

People Ifs Way Should Mind Believe Looks Littles Has Beens Use Past Science I Believe Wise Depends Medicine Organs Disposition Temperament

Author:Rene Descartes

“It must not be thought that it is ever possible to reach the interior earth by any perseverance in mining: both because the exterior earth is too thick, in comparison with human strength; and especially because of the intermediate waters, which would gush forth with greater impetus, the deeper the place in which their veins were first opened; and which would drown all miners.”

Firsts Humans Earth Science Water Greater Perseverance Deeper Comparison Thick Interiors Veins Exterior Mining Miners Impetus Human Strength

Author:Rene Descartes

“I hope that posterity will judge me kindly, not only as to the things which I have explained, but also to those which I have intentionally omitted so as to leave to others the pleasure of discovery.”

Science Pleasure Judging Discovery Mathematics Math Mathematical Posterity Judge Me Discovery And Invention

Book:The Geometry of Rene Descartes

Source: The Geometry of Rene Descartes

“As I considered the matter carefully it gradually came to light that all those matters only were referred to mathematics in which order and measurements are investigated, and that it makes no difference whether it be in numbers, figures, stars, sounds or any other object that the question of measurement arises. I saw consequently that there must be some general science to explain that element as a whole which gives rise to problems about order and measurement, restricted as these are to no special subject matter. This, I perceived was called 'universal mathematics'.”

“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

“And thereby make ourselves, as it were, the lords and masters of nature.”

Humans Science Lord Masters

Author:Rene Descartes

“The nature of matter, or body considered in general, consists not in its being something which is hard or heavy or coloured, or which affects the senses in any way, but simply in its being something which is extended in length, breadth and depth.”

Way Matter Hard Body Science Depth Heavy Senses Length Breadth

Author:Rene Descartes