René Descartes Quotes

French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist (1596–1650)

René Descartes (March 31, 1596 – February 11, 1650) was a highly influential French philosopher, mathematician, physicist and writer. He is known for his influential arguments for substance dualism, where mind and body are considered to have distinct essences, one being characterized by thought, the other by spatial extension. He has been dubbed the "Father of Modern Philosophy" and the "Father of Modern Mathematics." He is also known as Cartesius.

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Alternative Names: Descartes • Cartesius • Renatus Cartesius • Renė Dekartas

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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.

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.

It is just as valuable to be censured by friends as it is splendid to be praised by enemies. We desire praise from those who do not know us, but from friends we want the truth.

So far, I have been a spectator in this theatre which is the world, but I am now about to mount the stage, and I come forward masked.

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

I am not a collection of members which we call the human body: I am not a subtle air distributed through these members, I am not a wind, a fire, a vapour, a breath, nor anything at all which I can imagine or conceive; because I have assumed that all these were nothing. Without changing that supposition I find that I only leave myself certain of the fact that I am somewhat.

Mind and soul of the man is entirely different from the body.

those who move but very slowly, may advance much farther, if they always follow the right way; then those who run and straggle from it.

Je pense, donc je suis; English: I think, therefore I am)

that we conduct our thoughts along different ways, and do not fix our attention on the same objects.

He who lives well lives well hidden.

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

...all that is necessary to right action is right judgment, and to the best action the most correct judgment

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

To think? That's it. It is thought. This alone cannot be detached from me. I am, I exist; that is certain.