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Rene Descartes' most widely read work is his ''Discourse on Method'' (in French, ''Discours de la methode''), published in 1637. There Descartes sets forth four rules for discovering knowledge:

Rene Descartes' most widely read work is his ''Discourse on Method'' (in French, ''Discours de la methode''), published in 1637. There Descartes sets forth four rules for discovering knowledge:

[[Image:Gtr7564.jpg|200px|right|thumb|[[Rene Descartes]] ]]

[[Image:Gtr7564.jpg|200px|right|thumb|[[Rene Descartes]] ]]

* (1) accept as true only what can be proven

* (1) accept as true only what can be proven. In addition, according to the Stanford Encyclopedia, "These passages (and others) suggest an account wherein doubt is the contrast of certainty. As my certainty increases, my doubt decreases; conversely, as my doubt increases, my certainty decreases. The requirement that knowledge is to be based in complete, or perfect certainty, thus amounts to requiring a complete inability to doubt one’s convictions – an utter indubitability. This conception of the relationship between certainty and doubt helps underwrite Descartes’ methodical emphasis on doubt, the so-called ‘method of doubt’."<ref>[https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/descartes-epistemology/ Descartes’ Epistemology], Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy</ref>

 

* (2) [[Problem solving|solve problems]] in a systematic manner, part-by-part.  

* (2) [[Problem solving|solve problems]] in a systematic manner, part-by-part.  

* (3) proceed from simple to more complex issues

* (3) proceed from simple to more complex issues