The Mark Steel Lectures-Descartes 1/3

[MrItchyElbow]

I was surprised when Mark Steel went into a flower shop since I think that he sounds very congested.

[harry646464]

Hahaha i really liked seeing the invisible school in this clip :).

[emmapony]

this is the coolest video EVER!

[tenseman08]

i think sweet potatoes...therefore I yam

[rundle19938]

Never got up before mid-day?! Lazy bastard!

[12gdemos]

Without Descartes, Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Locke, and Newton our ass would still be in the dark ages... The Church, State, and "elite" will now ride this current age of darkness as far as they can, "let's get our hands on the science first, and keep the sheep watching reality TV as long as possible, it's the easiest way to maintain our system of control over these serfs"

[highguy9900]

Skip to 5:35 if you don't want to hear a bunch of #@$@#$

[Kan2209]

I am, therefore I think?

[Faboba]

I'm surprised there's this need but to clarify: contrary to the below (and some guy's notes from class) the 'catchphrase' is 'I THINK therefore I am' (or 'Je Pense Donc Je Suis' in the original French edition of Discourse on Method. Commonly known as 'the cogito' from 'Cogito Ergo Sum' from the Latin edition. 'Dubito ergo [Sum/Cogito]' is not only not by Descartes but misrepresents his argument. You can easily confirm any of this by Googling or, better, getting a paperback copy of his work.

[bubs29]

He's right about what the church thinks on knowledge, just look at the GOP and Palin's flock they are ultra religious and bloody fucking stupid.

[Zaphenath4]

At 1:23, pondering can come under the nature of existence as well as maths and hard maths since all require 'pondering'.

[Atheeizm]

aww i better go and feed that giraffe we just bought lol'....

[ramonamimi]

thank you ,i have on monday a philosophy exam about descartes ,so this is very useful

[college12003]

Anyone, please. What is the name of the musical composition at the beginning of this video?

[acerb45666555]

college12003..........its either Wagner, Beethoven, or one of the Slavic composers. maybe Russian?

[college12003]

That really does not narrow it down much...lol, But thanks for trying to help.

[razoodocks]

I imagine both Mark and Descartes would be laughing at the futile patriotic arguments raging on this comment thread!

[kagaka]

6:46 Mark's wrong on the causes of the 30 Years War which raged through Europe during Descartes' life. It was not started by the French but by the Austrian and Spanish Catholics, mainly the Hapsburgs who were the super power of Europe of the day thanks to Inca and Aztec gold. Catholic France, lead by the Bourbons allied itself with the protestants against the Hapsburg. Holland, having just won a 20 years truce with the Hapsburgs was a safe haven for many refugees and generally tolerant.

[TheWilliamcale]

the french are not cowards nore are they stupid they have contributed so much to our world

[stevejobsaccount]

This might be the most ignorant youtube comment I have ever read. I actually had to create an account just to reply to this. "TheWilliamcale" here seems to get some sort of self-righteous pleasure from defending the French.

Keep in mind I'm not here to disrespect France or its people. What do you mean by contributed to our world? What a useless statement, and what an ignorant, probably American, thing to say.

France has existed for many centuries more than the United States!

[stevejobsaccount]

Also, you think Descartes represents France's contribution to philosophy? How utterly ignorant.

France represents the roots of your culture, my friend.

[TheWilliamcale]

what the fuck is your problem?

and what the fuck is your point?

and next time remeber your Canadian and you need permission to speak on the presence of a nuclear power

[Bookhama]

Like what exactly? The french revolution? Napoleon? Failing to do the basic act of defending your own country in world war 2? All "great contributions to our world" which have all ended in countless deaths...thumbs up france!

[TheWilliamcale]

yeah right france lost a whole generation during ww1 and i dont remeber the british standing and fightng you ran at dunkirk the channel saved you that and lend lease

the yanks saved your pastey white arse mate you did not have fuel for your planes or even enough guns for your army

the yanks saved the brits

AND YES THE FRENCH REVOLUTION NAPOLEON, if nothing else that executed their aristocracy somethig you should have done centuries ago

[Bookhama]

Not really...our royal families working just fine actually it means we dont get useless presisdents like george bush. Also how did america save us when they joined a year before the end of world war 1 when it was pretty much over? Dunkirk was world war 2 where the TINY BEF along with a small force from other allied nations were beaten back to the sea after WEEKS OF FIGHTING. hardly running away. theres a difference between defeat and cowardice. and of course the US supplied us we're allies!

[TheWilliamcale]

The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) Third president of the United States.

[TheWilliamcale]

The Code, with its stress on clearly written and accessible law, was a major step in establishing the rule of law. Historians have called it "one of the few documents which have influenced the whole world." long live the emperor!

[pamlawrence1]

Britain has killed far more people than France I would imagine. What's the difference between Napoleon and Lord Palmerston? Or Rhodes?

[joolsduane]

@Bookhama the french revolution was awesome shut the fuck up

[a199215]

@joolsduane

Yes. Because despotism, siege of property, war, and death by the guillotine is the average idea of awesome.

[subarusumeragi]

"doubt" is right.

doubt actually holds a large place in logical philosophy.

trust me on this one guys.

btw, this guy talks like a total twat.

[dramon231]

Amusing... one of Marks favorite tactics is to point out when someone spends to much time obsessing over the trivialities and end up missing the whole point.... i doubt most people think....

[I3lemental]

Isn't the catchphrase "I doubt therefore I am"? Might suggest he have taken a 100 level philosophy first.

[bluntman007]

No, it is ' I think therefore I am '. Might I suggest you re-take it again, before trying to be a smart-ass.

[tehmushroom]

..just to share something robert anton wilson said, life in itself doesn't have any meaning because that's exactly what meaning is, you can't begin to think about meaning in isolation..all language is just metaphor

[NeXcE]

that is the more famous phrase...but the first statement in his line of thought is in fact - dubito, ergo sum.... only after that he says cogito, ergo sum ......i dont see how its so outrageous to associate him with both phrases... but i donno you two seem to be the experts...

[bluntman007]

Obviously you are, since you forgot to think before writing. It reads : ' Isn't the catchphrase etc, etc..Might suggest he have taken etc, etc...' He said 'catchphrase', for which Descartes is know for. Read 'Catchphrase'!!!!!! It's not outrageous to associate both phrases with Descartes, but that's not the point. He was trying to insult M.Steel and instead made himself look like an ass, just like you did by not understanding to point of it. Stop parroting and use your brain. Adieu!

[I3lemental]

Have rechecked my notes and the prof. was clear, the original phrase was "I doubt...". The "I think..." phrase has been repeated so often authors misquote it as the original. It is an urban legend. I totally agree that both catchphrases lead to good discussions, but hearing an expert use the wrong one is similar to using the word personification when anthropomorphism is meant. Both phrases and words lead in different directions. It's also the difference between coles notes and the original.

[jackcoh]

The original phrase is "cogito, ergo sum" and NOT "dubuto, ergo sum" and is translated as "I think, therefore I am" or "I think, therefore I exist". It is referred to as the 'cogito' by philosophers after all.

I would guess the confusion arises due to the nature of the problems Descartes is tackling in The Meditations, even though the phrase first appeared a few years earlier in his Discourse on Method.

[AnOldLeodensian]

Honestly...

[TheBiggestBiscuit]

...it is the correct pronunciation. What did you think it was, "des-car-ties"?

[anne241163]

It is de... as in dentist, not day...It just sounds funny to someone who speaks French, no big deal!

[JennieBiggestMidget]

I adore Descartes :)

[WarningDontReadThis]

I love these :D