René Descartes

Find the best quotes, maxims and aphorisms of René Descartes

Biography : French philosopher, mathematician and scientist.
Born: 1596 - Died: 1650
Period:
17th century
Place of birth: France
France

France

René Descartes - Quotes

To live without philosophizing is properly to have one's eyes closed and never attempt to open them.
René Descartes - Principles of Philosophy /

I dare to believe that inner joy has some secret power to win the favour of fortune.
René Descartes - Correspondance avec Élisabeth /

Good sense is, of all things among men, the most equally distributed; for every one thinks himself so abundantly provided with it, that those even who are the most difficult to satisfy in everything else, do not usually desire a larger measure of this quality than they already possess. And in this it is not likely that all are mistaken: the conviction is rather to be held as testifying that the power of judging aright and of distinguishing truth from error, which is properly what is called good sense or reason, is by nature equal in all men; and that the diversity of our opinions, consequently, does not arise from some being endowed with a larger share of reason than others, but solely from this, that we conduct our thoughts along different ways, and do not fix our attention on the same objects. For to be possessed of a vigorous mind is not enough; the prime requisite is rightly to apply it.
René Descartes - Discourse on the Method /

It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.
René Descartes - Discourse on the Method /

It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.

The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries.
René Descartes /

If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.
René Descartes - Principles of Philosophy /

I think, therefore I am.
René Descartes - Discourse on the Method /

I think, therefore I am.

My third maxim was to try always to conquer myself rather than fortune, and to alter my desires rather than change the order of the world.
René Descartes - Discourse on the Method /

So in order to act well it is sufficient to judge well, and to judge as well as one can is sufficient to enable one to do one's best.
René Descartes - Discourse on the Method /

judgement

Except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power.
René Descartes

thought

I am accustomed to sleep and in my dreams to imagine the same things that lunatics imagine when awake.
René Descartes

dream

When it is not in our power to follow what is true, we ought to follow what is most probable.
René Descartes /

The senses deceive from time to time, and it is prudent never to trust wholly those who have deceived us even once.
René Descartes

trust

Perfect numbers like perfect men are very rare.
René Descartes

perfection

The two operations of our understanding, intuition and deduction, on which alone we have said we must rely in the acquisition of knowledge.
René Descartes

I am indeed amazed when I consider how weak my mind is and how prone to error.
René Descartes

Each problem that I solved became a rule, which served afterwards to solve other problems.
René Descartes

problem

I hope that posterity will judge me kindly, not only as to the things which I have explained, but also to those which I have intentionally omitted so as to leave to others the pleasure of discovery.
René Descartes