Cogito Ergo Sum

French philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650) proposed "the cogito" as demonstrating the most fundamental epistemological principle upon which all knowledge is based.

"I suppose, accordingly, that all the things which I see are false; fictitious. I believe that none of those objects which my fallacious memory represents ever existed; I suppose that I possess no senses; I believe that body, figure, extension, motion, and place are merely fictions of my mind. What is there, then, that can be esteemed true? Perhaps this only, that there is absolutely nothing certain. But how do I know that there is not something different altogether from the objects I have now enumerated, of which it is impossible to entertain the slightest doubt? Is there not a God, or some being, by whatever name I may designate Him, who causes these thoughts to arise in my mind? But why suppose such a Being, for it may be I myself am capable of producing them? Am I, then, at least not something? But I before denied that I possessed senses or a body; I hesitate, however, for what follows from that? Am I so dependent on the body and the senses that without these I cannot exist? But I had the persuasion that there was absolutely nothing in the world, that there was no sky and no earth, neither minds nor bodies; was I not, therefore, at the same time, persuaded that I did not exist? Far from it; I assuredly existed, since I was persuaded. But there is I know not what being, who is possessed at once of the highest power and the deepest cunning, who is constantly employing all his ingenuity in deceiving me. Doubtless, then, I exist, since I am deceived; and, let him deceive me as he may, he can never bring it about that I am nothing, so long as I shall be conscious that I am something. So that it must, in fine, be maintained, all things being maturely and carefully considered, that this proposition: I am, I exist; is necessarily true each time it is expressed by me, or conceived in my mind."

Reading: Public Domain Librivox recording of "Meditation II" from "Meditations on First Philosophy"
http://www.archive.org/details/meditations_descartes_dew_librivox

Audio: "Apreludes (in C Sharp Major)" by Stars of the Lid
http://www.amazon.com/Their-Refinement-Decline-Stars-Lid/dp/B000NIIUX8

Anatomical Drawings from "Dream Anatomy"
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/dreamanatomy/index.html

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Cogito Ergo Sum
• René Descartes
• Modern Philosophy
• Phenomenology
• Radical Doubt
• Skepticism
• I think therefore I am
• Existence

[dathwampeer]

Rene Descartes walk into a bar, the bartender asks him "Would you like a drink?" Rene Descartes says "I don't think so," and vanishes.

[skate800]

Is Nicolas Cage narrating this?

[Gbros9599]

Basically asking if u exsist means u do because to ask the question u must be conshus so u think therefore u r

[tsjoencinema]

After reading the paper "Are you living in a computer simulation", Descartes words seem very accurate.

[pitchman1974]

narrator sounds like Data from star trek

[UberGamer1030]

Fate led me here.

[Theozzie11]

overwhelming...............the world and life overwhelms me at times

[motionapplied]

He didn't doubt that he's an "I", whether he's really thinking or not, and whether he ever really doubted or not.

[orangesandlemons1231]

Did a Blog post about Descartes, should be easier to understand than this! Google hpwinchester descartes

[NFL9475]

@MorkaGraven As Timverma said, the translation from french is not correct. In the original text, the first "I believe" is "je me persuade" (I persuade myself).

[timverma]

@MorkaGraven First, this is translated so the word choice is a not a great flaw to start with. Second the parts with i believe aren't trying to convince anyone of anything.

[miklaes]

dreadful voice