René Descartes Quotes

I am like a prisoner who happens on enjoy an imaginary freedom in his dreams and who subsequently begins to suspect that he is asleep and, afraid of being awakened, conspires silently with his agreeable illusions.

The entire method consists in the order and arrangement of the things to which the mind's eye must turn so that we can discover some truth.

«Y no me precio tampoco de ser el primer inventor de mis opiniones, sino solamente de no haberlas admitido ni porque las dijeran otros ni porque no las dijeran, sino sólo porque la razón me convenció de su verdad.»

To know what people really think, pay attention to what they do, rather than what they say.

I am, I exist” is necessarily true every time I utter it or conceive it in my mind.

For the very fact that my knowledge is increasing little by little is the most certain argument for its imperfection.

Gratitude is a species of love, excited in us by some action of the person for whom we have it, and by which we believe that he has done some good to us, or at least that he has had the intention of doing so.

Passions, III, 193. XI, 473-474. Trans. John Morris

If I find some reason for doubt in each of my beliefs, that will be enough to reject all of them.

they who make pretensions to philosophy are often less wise and reasonable than others who never applied themselves to the study,

c'est une vérité très certaine que, lorsqu'il n'est pas en notre pouvoir de discerner les plus vraies opinions, nous devons suivre les plus probables
partie 3, para 3)

"I think, therefore I am" vs. "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."

For to be possessed of a vigorous mind is not enough; the prime requisite is rightly to apply it.

The very desire to seek the truth often causes people, who do not know how it should be sought correctly, to make judgements about things that they do not perceive and in that way they make mistakes.

hay pocas personas que consientan en decir lo que creen, sino también porque muchas lo ignoran, pues el acto del pensamiento, por el cual uno cree una cosa, es diferente de aquel otro por el cual uno conoce que la cree, y por lo tanto muchas veces se encuentra aquél sin éste.

Method consists entirely in properly ordering and arranging the things to which we should pay attention.