René Descartes Quotes

The last rule was to make enumerations so complete, and reviews so comprehensive, that I should be certain of omitting nothing.

It is prudent never to trust those who have deceived us, even if only once.

اراده یا آزادی انتخاب که شخصاً در مورد خودم تجربه کردم آنقدر گسترده است که تصور وجود یک توانایی از آن گسترده تر از قدرت درک من خارج است

For I found myself involved in so many doubts and errors, that I was convinced I had advanced no farther in all my attempts at learning, than the discovery at every turn of my own ignorance.

Truths are more likely to have been discovered by one man than by nation

On the other hand, I compared the disquisitions of the ancient moralists to very towering and magnificent palaces with no better foundation than sand and mud:

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

"Gustavo Solivellas dice: "Vivir sin filosofar es, propiamente, tener los ojos cerrados, sin tratar de abrirlos jamás" (René Descartes)"

I shall then suppose, not that God who is supremely good and the fountain of truth, but some evil genius not less powerful than deceitful, has employed his whole energies in deceiving me; I shall consider that the heavens, the earth, colours, figures, sound, and all other external things are nought but the illusions and dreams of which this genius has availed himself in order to lay traps for my credulity; I shall consider myself as having no hands, no eyes, no flesh, no blood, nor any senses, yet falsely believing myself to possess all these things; I shall remain obstinately attached to this idea, and if by this means it is not in my power to arrive at the knowledge of any truth, I may at least do what is in my power [i.e. suspend my judgment], and with firm purpose avoid giving credence to any false thing, or being imposed upon by this arch deceiver, however powerful and deceptive he may be.

Certainly no one can deny that we have such an idea of God in ourselves unless they think that there is no knowledge at all of God in human minds.

Doubt is the origin of wisdom and Latin: Dubium sapientiae initium. This has been attributed to Descartes, including here previously, but no original attribution has been found. Descartes Meditationes de prima philosophia has been cited as the source of Dubium sapientiae initium, but this quote is not found in this work.

The thinking of the mind is twofold: understanding and willing.

...it is a mark of prudence never to place our complete trust in those who have deceived us even once.

philosophes qui ont pu autrefois se soustraire de l'empire de la fortune, et, malgré les douleurs et la pauvreté, disputer de la félicité avec leurs dieux. Car s'occupant sans cesse à considérer les bornes qui leur étaient prescrites par la nature, ils se persuadaient si parfaitement que rien n'était en leur pouvoir que leurs pensées, que cela seul était suffisant pour les empêcher d'avoir aucune affection pour d'autres choses; et ils disposaient d'elles si absolument qu'ils avaient en cela quelque raison de s'estimer plus riches, et plus puissants, et plus libres, et plus heureux qu'aucun des autres hommes, qui, n'ayant point cette philosophie, tant favorisés de la nature et de la fortune qu'ils puissent être, ne disposent jamais ainsi de tout ce qu'ils veulent. (partie 3, para 4)

Καλό είναι να έχουμε κάποιες γνώσεις για τα ήθη των διαφόρων λαών, έτσι ώστε να κρίνουμε τα δικά μας πιο δίκαια και να μη θεωρούμε πως οτιδήποτε διαφέρει από τις δικές μας συνήθειες είναι γελοίο και αντίθετο προς τη λογική, όπως κάνουν όσοι δεν έχουν δει τίποτα.