Home / Quotes / Quote by Rene Descartes

Quote by Rene Descartes

“If I go for the alternative which is false, then obviously I shall be in error; if I take the other side, then it is by... chance that I arrive at the truth, and I shall still be at fault.... In this incorrect use of free will may be found the privation which constitutes the essence of error.”

Quote by Rene Descartes

Author

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. more

You May Also Like

“It is also certain that when we assent to some piece of reasoning when our perception of it is lacking, then either we go wrong, or, if we do stumble on the truth, it is by accident, so that we cannot be sure that we are not in error.”

Ifs Certain Pieces Perception Errors Accidents Reasoning Lacking

Author:Ernest Sosa

“Descartes's epistemology is a special case of Aristotle's virtue ethics.”

Cases Virtue Special Ethics Epistemology

Author:Ernest Sosa

“It is possible to produce something that is grammatical either by chance or under the supervision of another. To be proficient in grammar, then, one must both produce what is grammatical and produce it grammatically, that is, in accord with knowledge of grammar in oneself.”

Chance Produce Oneself Grammar Accord Supervision

Author:Ernest Sosa

“Since human good is what humans ought to pursue, the pursuit of interest to Aristotle is then such activity of soul, that which constitutes human good, namely activity that attains desiderata, where the attainment is in accord with virtue.”

Humans Soul Interest Virtue Ought Activity Pursuit Pursue Accord Attainment

Author:Ernest Sosa

“Flourishing is properly the main human end, and flourishing is activity of soul that succeeds in accord with virtue.”

Humans Soul Ends Virtue Activity Succeed Accord Flourishing

Author:Ernest Sosa

“The risk pertinent to a particular attempt (and to its evaluation as an attempt of its sort) is the risk that the agent will fail to attain the end constitutive of that attempt. This risk of failure is coordinate with how likely or unlikely it may be that the agent will then succeed.”

May Ends Failing Risk Particular Succeed Agents Unlikely Evaluation Coordinates Pertinent

Author:Ernest Sosa

“If the agent aims to make the attempt if and only if it would be apt, then a distinctive element of risk assessment becomes relevant: How probably would the agent succeed in attempting that fuller end?”

Ifs Ends Would Be Risk Succeed Elements Aim Agents Relevant Attempting Assessment Distinctive Ifs And

Author:Ernest Sosa

“I am mainly concerned with unqualified knowledge, by contrast with the varieties of expert knowledge: scientific knowledge of various sorts, legal knowledge, medically expert knowledge, and so on.”

Concerned Various Variety Experts Contrast Scientific Knowledge Unqualified

Author:Ernest Sosa

“When you dream, your perceptual (and other) competence is affected. You are then unable to get it right competently with the beliefs in your dream.”

Dream Belief Your Dreams Affected Competence

Author:Ernest Sosa

“Arguably, if you view a real barn in bright sunlight and close by, while fully alert and otherwise in good shape, then you do know whether or not you see a barn. You have "animal" knowledge, says my virtue theory, through the first-order aptness of your judgment.”

Ifs Knows Firsts Real Order Animal Views Virtue Theory Shapes Judgment Sunlight Barns

Author:Ernest Sosa