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
and make (as it were) two purses, call'd the ears of the heart, which
are composed of a flesh like it; and that there is always more heat in
the heart then in any other part of the body. And in fine, that if any
drop of bloud enter into these concavities, this heat is able to make it
presently swell and dilate it self, as generally all liquors do, when
drop by drop we let them fall into a very hot vessel.
For after this I need say no more for to unfold the motion of the
heart, but that when these concavities are not full of bloud,
necessarily there runs some from the _vena cava_ into the right, and
from the veinous artery into the left; for that these two vessels are
always full of it, and that their openings which are towards the heart
cannot then be shut: But that assoon as there is thus but two drops of
bloud entred, one in either of these concavities, these drops, which
cannot but be very big, by reason that their openings whereby they enter
are very large, and the vessels whence they come very full of bloud, are
rarified and dilated because of the heat which they find therein. By
means whereof, causing all the heart to swel, they drive and shut the
five little doors which are at the entry of the two vessels whence they
come, hindering thereby any more bloud to fall down into the heart, and
continuing more and more to rarifie themselves, they drive and open the
six other little doors which are at the entry of the other two vessels
whence they issue, causing by that means all the branches of the
arterious vein, and of the great artery, to swel (as it were) at the
same time with the heart: which presently after fals, as those arteries
also do, by reason that the bloud which is entred therein grows colder,
and their six little doors shut up again, and those five of the _vena
cava_, and of the veinous artery open again, and give way to two other
drops of bloud, which again swell the heart and the arteries in the same
manner as the preceding did. And because the bloud which thus enters
into the heart, passeth thorow those two purses, which are call'd the
ears; thence it comes, that their motion is contrary to the heart's, and
that they fall when that swels.
Lastly, That they who know not the force of Mathematical demonstrations,
and are not accustomed to distinguish true reasons from probable ones,
may not venture to deny this without examining it, I shall advertise
them, that this motion which I have now discovered, as necessarily
follows from the onely disposition of the organs (which may plainly be
seen in the heart,) and from the heat (which we may feel with our
fingers,) and from the nature of the bloud (which we may know by
experience,) as the motions of a clock doth by the force, situation and
figure of its weight and wheels.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account