Rene Descartes The Discourse On Method

1323 Words6 Pages
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the concept of self-knowledge and understanding was very prevalent. Many philosophers encouraged people to discover and research for themselves instead of simply believing what was told to them. One philosopher in particular, Rene' Descartes, conducted multiple theories about the importance of self-knowledge and the effects it can have on one’s life. He believed so heavily in this concept that it drove him to write an article entitled The Discourse on Method. The specific time period that Descartes lived in was one where the publishing of books was becoming more widespread. With this happening, many people began to read more in order to educate themselves about various topics. Descartes had an…show more content…
First, Descartes suggests that people should not accept anything that is true until they have researched it further for themselves (8). This rule basically states for people to know things for themselves and to not instantly believe what someone may tell them. Secondly, he explains to the reader to divide their problems into simpler parts in order to make solving them much easier (9). Many people get so overwhelmed when trying to solve their issues because they just do not know where to start. Instead of becoming so overcome with stress at the sight of an issue, people should just break their problems into smaller divisions in order to make solving the issue easier. Thirdly, Descartes proposes that people should solve their problems by starting with the simplest ones and then progressively increasing to the more difficult tasks (9). This rule is very similar to the third rule. It states for people to start out with the small issues so that they do not get overwhelmed and then they can move on to the more challenging issues. Lastly, Descartes explains to the reader to keep tabs on the progress they make in order to make sure that no steps were left out (9). By keeping track of all the steps, people will be able to ensure that their issues were solved in a very well-organized way. By following these four basic rules, Descartes wants people to understand that these are simply guidelines that he has set up and applied towards his personal situations and has then decided to share them with the rest of the world as a result of its effectiveness. Descartes does not give an exact recipe for people to follow to solve their problems because of the fact that each individual is different. No two people are the same so the path that one person may choose to reach their own truth and self-understanding will not be the same path that another

More about Rene Descartes The Discourse On Method

Open Document