Rene Descartes

The Discourse on the Method is a philosophical and mathematical treatise written by Ren Descartes and published in 1637. The full name is Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason, and Searching for Truth in the Sciences. This book is known as the source of the famous quotation "I think, therefore I am." (Cogito ergo sum)

In den "Meditationes de prima philosophia" (1642) geht es Descartes um eine neue Grundlegung der Metaphysik. Dieser Neuanfang in der Philosophie, den Descartes wie wohl kaum ein anderer propagiert und durchführt, hat jedoch einen konservativen Zug: Gerade Descartes besteht darauf, daß seine Philosophie die älteste ist, die es überhaupt geben kann, und diese Aussage hat nur Sinn, wenn Metaphysik als Rekonstruktion der ursprünglichen Fragen verstanden wird, die anfänglich das philosophische und insbesondere metaphysische Geschäft ins Rollen gebracht hatten.

'It is some years now since I realized how many false opinions I had accepted as true from childhood onwards... I saw that at some stage in my life the whole structure would have to be utterly demolished' In Descartes's Meditations, one of the key texts of Western philosophy, the thinker rejects all his former beliefs in the quest for new certainties. Discovering his own existence as a thinking entity in the very exercise of doubt, he goes on to prove the existence of God, who guarantees his clear and distinct ideas as a means of access to the truth. He develops new conceptions of body and mind, capable of serving as foundations for the new science of nature. Subsequent philosophy has grappled with Descartes's legacy, questioning many of its conclusions and even his basic approach, but his arguments set the agenda for many of the greatest philosophical thinkers, and their fascination endures. This new translation includes the Third and Fourth Objections and Replies in full, and a selection from the rest of these exchanges with Descartes's contemporaries that helped to expound his philosophy. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

René Descartes is perhaps most remembered for declaring, “I think; therefore, I am.” First published in 1644, Descartes’s Principles of Philosophy elucidates the meaning of those words that ushered in a new era of philosophical thought. Unlike the medieval philosophers who often began by examining the existence and nature of God in a spirit of faith, Descartes begins by reflecting upon himself as one who doubts but who nonetheless desires certain knowledge of God and the world. In setting forth the truths he discovers, Descartes hoped that his Principles of Philosophy would provide a new basis for human knowledge and, most especially, a new footing for scientific inquiry.