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Rene Descartes (1596-1650) is known as the father of modern philosophy.  He is most famous for his statement, "I think therefore I am" (in Latin, "Cogito, ergo sum").  A brilliant mathematician as well as a philosopher, Descartes viewed the mind as being in an unchallengable state very different from the body.

'''Rene Descartes''' (1596-1650) is known as the father of modern philosophy.  He is most famous for his statement, "I think therefore I am" (in Latin, "Cogito, ergo sum").  A brilliant mathematician as well as a philosopher, Descartes viewed the mind as being in an unchallengable state very different from the body.

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:  (1) accept as true only what can be proven, (2) solve problems in a systematic manner, part-by-part, (3) proceed from simple to more complex issues, and (4) finally, review everything copmletely to ensure that nothing was left out.

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:  (1) accept as true only what can be proven, (2) solve problems in a systematic manner, part-by-part, (3) proceed from simple to more complex issues, and (4) finally, review everything completely to ensure that nothing was left out.

Descartes established a metaphysical basis for his philosophy, that all philsophical propositions derive from a self-evident certainty of the mind, as in "I think therefore I am."

Descartes established a metaphysical basis for his philosophy, that all philsophical propositions derive from a self-evident certainty of the mind, as in "I think therefore I am."

 

[[Category:Philosophy]]

[[Category:Philosophers|Descartes, Rene]]