What was meant EXACTLY by the phrase "I think, therefore I am?"?

Answer 1

In a nutshell, Descartes was trying to prove his own existance to himself.

He began by doubting everything, including his senses: Seeing should not be believing, because we see things differently in different lights and in different states of consciousness. An orange is a different colour (orange) in daylight than it is in darkness (black).

Then he went on to : "But I have convinced myself that there is absolutely nothing in the world, no sky, no earth, no minds, no bodies. Does it now follow that I too do not exist? No: if I convinced myself of something [or thought anything at all] then I certainly existed. But there is a deceiver of supreme power and cunning who is deliberately and constantly deceiving me. In that case I too undoubtedly exist, if he is deceiving me; and let him deceive me as much as he can, he will never bring it about that I am nothing so long as I think that I am something. So, after considering everything very thoroughly, I must finally conclude that the proposition, I am, I exist, is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind."
And got to the conclusion that through reason comes the proof of our existance.

Orchidmg, your logic has been debated for a very long time. Some non-philosophers argued that a rock does not think, but it still exists, which disproves Descartes' argument. They reversed the statement by saying: "I do not think, therefore I do not exist." But the correct corollary is: "I do not exist, therefore I do not think."

Answer 2

Descartes gives the example of dreaming: In a dream, one's senses perceive stimuli that seem real, but do not actually exist. Thus, one cannot rely on the data of the senses as necessarily true. Given these possibilities, what can one know for certain?

Initially, Descartes arrives at only a single principle: if I am being deceived, then surely "I" must exist. Most famously, this is known as cogito ergo sum, ("I think, therefore I am").

Note; Descartes was also skeptical of memory, as that has also been known to be manipulated, and can be doubted, so the 'cogito' argument can only apply to the present. The phrase is therefore more accurately translated as; "I am thinking, therefore I exist"

Therefore, Descartes concludes that he can be certain that he exists. But in what form? He perceives his body through the use of the senses; however, these have previously been proven unreliable. So Descartes concludes that the only UNDOUBTABLE knowledge is that he is a thinking thing. THINKING is his essence as it is the only thing about him that cannot be doubted.

Answer 3

it can be interpreted in many ways - when it was said it was left up to society to interpret. my interpretation is that: when u think, u normally do, when u do, u create your own personality and the define your own ways and therefore you are who you are. other things live, but they dont think and do. animals think and do and thus can have there own personality, but they are not human beings. i think, therefore i am a human being who can talk and debate and therefore i am defined as a human with feelings.

Answer 4

If you can think/reason in the now and are aware/conscious of this fact then you definitely exist,you live. But it is also on another level about being human and existing as such.

Answer 5

A hard task to answer this one here. Whole dissertations have been written about this quote (by the french philosopher Descartes). If you have the ability to think, it means you are alive?

Answer 6

I have pondered this many a time. Humans and animals and insects and fish think. They all exist. But trees and rocks don't think yet they all exist.

I have NO idea, sorry!

Answer 7

it means you are animate.moving threw live not just surrounded by it. you have the ability to think and act on those thoughts. you can be whatever you think you can be. you can do whatever you think you can do. you are not a stone.you can direct your own life not leave it to someone else to chisel out for you.

Answer 8

I have a brain because i can use it, so therefore I must be intelligent.

Answer 9

to think independently and have decision making capabilities of your own makes one an individual being. To be aware of ones existence!!

Answer 10

i think that i am _____, therefore i am. basically a self-motivating line. example: i think i'm not scared of this person, therefore i am not scared of this person. i think i will pass this exam, therefore i will pass this exam