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Wisdom According to Rene' Descartes

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To Challenge the Course of Our Personal Knowledge “It indicates rather that the capacity to judge correctly and to distinguish the true from the false, which is properly what one calls common sense or reason, is naturally equal in all men, and consequently that the diversity of our opinions does not spring from some of us being more able to reason than others, but only from our conducting our thoughts along different lines and not examining the same thing” Rene’ Descartes pg. (1) “Discourse on Method” by Rene’ Descartes Wisdom, according to Rene’ Descartes, can be reached when an individual abandons all other influence and challenges the course of their own personal knowledge by seeking supreme understanding. He believed that …show more content…

Philosophy as defined by Webster is the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular branch of knowledge, especially with a view to improving or reconstituting them. Descartes defines philosophy as, “the means by which one can speak plausibly on all matters and win the admiration of the less learned.” (Descartes, pg. 30), but isn’t he in turn proving himself to be a philosopher by writing “Discourse on Method”? The only thing that makes him different from the philosophers that came before him, is that he refuses to accept anybody else’s influence, but by writing a book and publishing it, he in turn expects others to accept his influence. This is where the contradiction arises. I believe that it’s understandable to desire to only believe one’s own interpretations, but when we discuss our logic with others, that’s how we get better. I’m not saying to let them to fully convince you of their thoughts, but when we argue it forces us to challenge our own individual minds. I believe in discovering things for one ’s self, but that doesn’t mean that you should abandon the guidance of others before you. If not, then the teachings of Rene’ Descartes would be lost and would have never made a lasting effect on me personally. At the end of the day I feel like by respecting his method, I am doing him injustice and by reading and trying to understand his written word, I am in hand doing what he is teaching me not to do. I wonder why

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