PHILOSOPHY - René Descartes
The School of Life・2 minutes read
René Descartes emphasized logic over appeals to God, promoting introspection through clear thought and sound argument to improve thinking. He proposed the 'method of doubts' to break down complex questions, grounded ideas in individual experience, and famously stated 'Cogito ergo sum' to assert existence through thinking, while his work on emotions aimed to help people understand and control their feelings.
Insights
- Descartes emphasized the power of introspection and clear thinking, advocating for breaking down complex questions into manageable parts through incisive questions to improve our minds for thinking.
- Rejecting authority and tradition, Descartes grounded his ideas in individual experience and reason, promoting self-awareness, control over emotions, and the certainty of existence based on thinking, as encapsulated in his famous phrase 'Cogito ergo sum' ('I think therefore I am').
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Recent questions
Who was René Descartes?
A French philosopher known for rationalist approach.
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