Discourse on the Method

Discourse on the Method as an introduction to three essays on mathematics optics and meteorology. The book serves as a preface to these scientific essays and outlines the philosophical method and principles Descartes used to arrive at his groundbreaking ideas in mathematics and philosophy. It was written in French which was a departure from the Latin academic tradition of the time making it more accessible to a broader audience. Methodological Doubt: One of the central themes of the book is Descartes method of doubt. He questions all of his previously held beliefs and opinions aiming to find indubitable truths as the foundation of knowledge. Cogito Ergo Sum: Perhaps the most famous phrase from Discourse on the Method is Descartes statement Cogito ergo sum (I think therefore I am). This statement becomes the starting point of his philosophy as he concludes that the act of thinking itself proves ones existence as a thinking being. Mathematics as the Model for Certainty: Descartes considers mathematics as a model for achieving certainty in knowledge. He believed that mathematical truths were clear distinct and certain and he sought to apply similar methods to other areas of knowledge.