A Discourse of a Method for the Well Guiding of Reason: and the Discovery of Truth in the SciencesDescartes, René
PhilosophyPhilosophy
A Discourse of a Method for the Well Guiding of Reason: and the Discovery of Truth in the Sciences
Descartes, René
Methodology; Science -- Methodology
As in effect I dare say, That the exact observation of those few
precepts I had chosen, gave me such a facility to resolve all the
questions whereto these two sciences extend; That in two or three months
space which I employed in the examination of them, having begun by the
most simple and most generall, and every Truth which I found being a
rule which afterwards served me to discover others; I did not only
compasse divers truths which I had formerly judged most difficult, But
me thought also that towards the end I could determin even in those
which I was ignorant of, by what means and how farr it was possible to
resolve them. Wherein perhaps I shall not appear to be very vain if you
consider, That there being but one truth of every thing, who ever finds
it, knows as much of it as one can know; And that for example a child
instructed in Arithmatick having made an addition according to his
rules, may be sure to have found, touching the sum he examined, all what
the wit of man could finde out. In a word the method which teacheth to
folow a right order, and exactly to enumerate all the circumstances of
what we seek, contains, whatsoever ascertains the rules of Arithmatick.
But that which pleas'd me most in this Method was the assurance I had,
wholly to use my reason, if not perfectly, at least as much as it was in
my power; Besides this, I perceived in the practice of it, my minde by
little and little accustom'd it self to conceive its objects more
clearly and distinctly; and having not subjected it to any particular
matter, I promised my self to apply it also as profitable to the
difficulties, of other sciences as I had to Algebra: Not that I
therefore durst at first undertake to examine all which might present
themselves, for that were contrary to the order it prescribes. But
having observ'd that all their principles were to be borrowed from
Philosophy, in which I had yet found none that were certain, I thought
it were needfull for me in the first place to endevor to establish some,
and that this being the most important thing in the world, wherein
precipitation and prevention were the most to be feared, I should not
undertake to performe it, till I had attain'd to a riper Age then XXIII.
which was then mine. Before I had formerly employed a long time in
preparing my self thereunto, aswel in rooting out of my minde all the
ill opinions I had before that time received, as in getting a stock of
experience to serve afterwards for the subject of my reasonings, and in
exercising my self always in the Method I had prescribed. That I might
the more and more confine my self therein.
PART. III.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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