A Discourse on Method

Descartes' groundbreaking philosophy questions established beliefs, as exemplified by his famous phrase, "I think therefore I am." He argued that humans are composed of distinct minds and bodies and posited the existence of God, which allows trust in sensory evidence. His ideas paved the way for the scientific advancements of Galileo and Newton, dramatically shaping fields such as metaphysics, epistemology, physics, mathematics, political theory, and ethics. Descartes' methods have profoundly influenced the trajectory of Western philosophy and continue to spark debate today.