2006-08-11 02:01:55 · 28 answers · asked by chris m 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
'Cogito ergo sum' - I think therefore I am. It was Rene Descartes who is famous for the Cartesian philosophy named after him.
2006-08-11 02:11:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It just goes to show the poverty of some philosophers .
As any Buddhist could have told him , the perception of a thought ,means that a thought is perceived ,no more. The nature of its illumination remains a mystery . The experience of the illuminating quality shows no signs of boundaries ,other than those imposed by beliefs, which can be changed ,through investigation or brainwashing, giving one a direct experience of this truth.
The nature of Descartes's 'I' is undefined ,nor is there any evidence to show that the 'I' that illuminates ,or is the illumination, has any objective existence 'in the world' . Nor does it prove a connection with the source of the thought, anymore than this 'I' is the source of other objects of perception.
2006-08-11 14:35:16 · answer #2 · answered by GreatEnlightened One 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
René Descartes.
In other news, some "contemporary philosophers" have come up with "I don't think therefore I am not", and posted their findings to Yahoo Answers.
This argument can be used to prove the absurd proposition that rocks don't exist, since they don't think.
It has been suggested that the argument is preserved because a rock does not experience the "I" and therefore cannot express the statement "I don't think". However since we humans can observe that rocks don't think (and yet can exist), we can deduce that non-thinking matter can exist.
Thus we conclude that even if we don't think, we might still exist.
2006-08-11 02:25:15 · answer #3 · answered by Jon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
René Descartes
2006-08-11 02:42:51 · answer #4 · answered by KcLyn 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
French philosopher Rene Descartes 1596-1650, who is regarded as the 'father of modern philosophy'.
2006-08-11 02:20:29 · answer #5 · answered by das.ganesh 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Descartes.
Descartes uses a sceptical method to consider whether he can prove that anything exists. He believes that this statement shows that at least we must exist at the moment that we are thinking about our existence.
This statement is often referred to by philosophers as "the cogito". If you do a philosophy course you will study the cogito until you are sick of it!
Incidentally, one of the issues about this statement is the role of the word "therefore". But problems arise from the words "I", "think" and "am" as well!
2006-08-14 03:38:32 · answer #6 · answered by Philosophical Fred 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Descartes
2006-08-11 14:11:15 · answer #7 · answered by *luz* 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Descartes
Cogito Ergo Sum
2006-08-11 02:07:41 · answer #8 · answered by peter gunn 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Descarte
2006-08-11 02:10:15 · answer #9 · answered by Padmini Gopalan 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nelson Mandela
2006-08-11 18:41:41 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it was rene descartes...
"i think therefore, i exist"
it is a methodic process or methodic doubt which says that the one you cannot doubt is already the foundation of knowledge.
there are certain points involved in this process:
1. sense experience
2. content of sense experience
3. mathematics (mallicious demon)
4 i think therefore i exist
thinking/doubting means that you are capable of understanding the highest form of what we should know.
it is in this sense that it proves the existence of God.
It is clear and distinct making it a criterion of truth.
2006-08-11 02:35:38 · answer #11 · answered by neysbaby 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋