René Descartes Quotes

To attain the truth in life, we must discard all the ideas we were taught.

In order to seek truth, it is necessary once in the course of our life to doubt, as far as possible, of all things.

In order to seek truth, it is necessary once in the course of our life, to doubt, as far as possible, of all things.

And it is evident that it is not less repugnant that falsity or imperfection, in so far as it is imperfection, should proceed from God, than that truth or perfection should proceed from nothing.

I would like those who are not at all versed in anatomy to take the trouble, before reading this, to have the heart of some large animal that has lungs dissected in their presence (for such a heart is in all respects sufficiently similar to that of a man), and to be shown the two chambers or cavities that are in it.

i manifestly understand that there is more reality in infinite than in finite substance, and that therefore the perception of the infinite in me must be in some way prior to that of the finite: the perception of god, in other words, prior to that of myself. for how could i possibly understand that i doubt, and that i desire, that is, that there is something lacking in me, and that i am not completely perfect, if there were no idea in me of a more perfect being, by comparison with which i could recognize my own shortcomings?

Moreover, I am aware that most of the irreligious deny the existence of God, and the distinctness of the human soul from the body, for no other reason than because these points, as they allege, have never as yet been demonstrated.

Whenever enyone has offended me, I try to raise my soul so high that the offense cannot reach it.

« En un mot, s'il y a au monde quelque ouvrage qui ne puisse être si bien achevé par aucun autre que par le même qui l'a commencé, c'est celui auquel je travaille».

En realidad, la hipótesis del genio maligno ni es un juego ni un círculo de hierro, sino un movimiento dialéctico, muy importante en el curso del pensamiento cartesiano. Repárese en que la hipótesis del genio maligno, necesita, para ser destruida, la demostración de la existencia de Dios. Sólo cuando sabemos que Dios existe y que Dios es incapaz de engañarnos, sólo entonces queda deshecha la última

Το ανθρώπινο σώμα αντιμετωπίζεται ως μια μηχανή με την ικανότητα της κίνησης

Γι'αυτό πιστεύω ότι θα τις χρησιμοποιήσωπιο συνετά αν, υιοθετώντας μια αντίθετη άποψη, βάλω ο ίδιος τα δυνατά μου να εξαπατηθώ, παριστάνοντας ότι όλες αυτές οι σκέψεις εξασφαλμένες και φανταστικές, ώσπου τελικά, έχοντας εξισορροπήσει τις παλιές και τις νέες προκαταλήψιες μου, καμία κακή συνήθεα να μην αλλοιώνει πλέον την κρίση μου, εμποδίζοντας τη να αντιλαμβάνεται σωστά τα πράγματα.

[...] the diversity of our opinions, consequently, does not arise from some being endowed with a larger share of reason than others, but solely from this, that we conduct our thoughts along different ways, and do not fix our attention on the same objects. For to be possessed of a vigorous mind is not enough; the prime requisite is rightly to apply it. The greatest minds, as they are capable of the highest excellences, are open likewise to the greatest aberrations; and those who travel very slowly may yet make far greater progress, provided they keep always to the straight road, than those who, while they run, forsake it.

My third maxim was to endeavor always to conquer myself rather than fortune, and change my desires rather than the order of the world, and in general, accustom myself to the persuasion that, except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power; so that when we have done our best in things external to us, all wherein we fail of success is to be held, as regards us, absolutely impossible: and this single principle seemed to me sufficient to prevent me from desiring for the future anything which I could not obtain, and thus render me contented

there is often not so much perfection in works composed of many pieces and made by the hands of various master craftsmen as there is in those works on which but a single individual has worked.