I think therefore I am?

Question

What is rene descartes trying to convey when he say I think therefore I am? Not knowing this is embarrassing?

Answer 1

He is saying that thought exists. Thought cannot be separated from me, therefore, I exist.

It's a way of saying that the mere fact that I am capable of thought demonstrates that I am alive, or that "I am".

Answer 2

Des Cartes was basically pondering the question "What if this is all just an illusion and what if I am being deceived by some great deceiver into believing that reality exists?" He wanted to take an empirical approach to grounding himself in some verifiable reality. So he came up with cogito ergo sum.....I think therefor I am. He basically concluded that even if I am being deceived by some great deceiver something must exist that is being deceived. Therfor to be able to analyze the question implies existence. He basically was saying I can't be sure that anything truly exists other than myself.

Answer 3

"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."
- René Descartes




I think therefore I am.....................I think? Damn!
- Mello Yello

Answer 4

I think, therefore, I am.
You need to say it correctly, with emphasis on the
second " I ".

He is saying that the only thing you can be sure of is that you exist, because you can think, and that you realise that you exist. Everything else around you could be a figment of your imagination, a dream, or an hallucination.

I think, therefore, I am - I am the only absolute, everything else is open to doubt.

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

In Descartes seemingly simple statement, he is attempting to convey the concept of "being". Do you realize how hard it is for you to prove you exist? Try it! Ask someone to prove they exist and see them stumble through all the counterpoints.

Person J: "I exist because...I am standing here!"
Person K: "Define 'here'."
Person J: "This spot, right where my feet are."
PersonK: "That spot means you exist?"
J: "No...what I mean is, I am here in physical form."
K: "Define 'physical'."
J: "Argh!"

Makes a great party game! And we all know Descartes was the life of the party!

Answer 6

He was trying to establish a body of thought but needed a defintion of "self", which ended up being an extremely difficult concept to postulate. If you express doubt, then... in Rene's world, you exist.

Answer 7

He was interested in certainty. He wanted to establish science based upon a knowledge he could not doubt. He comes to the conclusion he can not doubt his own existence and makes it his first postulate.

Answer 8

I think he is saying that if he BELIEVES that he IS already something then he DOES everything in his power with his ACTIONS to BE that therefore, he really is that MAN-MADE and manifest into his living reality.

For instance, He BELIEVES he is very successful and famous therefore, he very well IS successful and famous. He thinks he is therefore HE IS.
He did this by BELIEVING
in BEING
DOING
AND HAVING

Answer 9

that he exists based on the fact that he knows he is thinking. Smart and true, however he still hasn't answered "what" he is.

Answer 10

You exist not because of your recognition of your existence. and as well the same is true for others to you and you to others, namely they too exist not because you recognize them and vice verse!