meditation on first philosophy by rene descartes

All that I have, up to this moment, accepted as possessed of the highest truth and certainty, I received either from or through the senses. Nor for this purpose will it be necessary even to deal with each belief individually, which would be truly an endless labor but, as the removal from below of the foundation necessarily involves the downfall of the whole edifice, I will at once approach the criticism of the principles on which all my former beliefs rested.ģ. But, to this end, it will not be necessary for me to show that the whole of these are false-a point, perhaps, which I shall never reach but as even now my reason convinces me that I ought not the less carefully to withhold belief from what is not entirely certain and indubitable, than from what is manifestly false, it will be sufficient to justify the rejection of the whole if I shall find in each some ground for doubt.

To-day, then, since I have opportunely freed my mind from all cares and am happily disturbed by no passions], and since I am in the secure possession of leisure in a peaceable retirement, I will at length apply myself earnestly and freely to the general overthrow of all my former opinions.Ģ. On this account, I have delayed so long that I should henceforth consider I was doing wrong were I still to consume in deliberation any of the time that now remains for action. But as this enterprise appeared to me to be one of great magnitude, I waited until I had attained an age so mature as to leave me no hope that at any stage of life more advanced I should be better able to execute my design. SEVERAL years have now elapsed since I first became aware that I had accepted, even from my youth, many false opinions for true, and that consequently what I afterward based on such principles was highly doubtful and from that time I was convinced of the necessity of undertaking once in my life to rid myself of all the opinions I had adopted, and of commencing anew the work of building from the foundation, if I desired to establish a firm and abiding superstructure in the sciences. Descartes, Rene - Meditations on First Philosophyġ.

Meditation on first philosophy by rene descartes