Decartes' "Discourse on the Method": pre-class thoughts

Frans Hals - Portrait of René Descartes - ~1649-1700

In his work Discourse on the Method for Reasoning Well and for Seeking Truth in the Sciences, Descartes follows the what we now know as the "scientific method" in order to communicate his thesis: due to our ability to think and communicate, it is clear that humans have a soul.  Further to that, our complex design is proof of the existence and supremacy of God.

In Part 1, Descartes is self-deprecating, yet establishing credibility as a philosopher.  He states that "the power of judging well is naturally equal in all men", and says that “I have never presumed that my mind was anything more perfect than the ordinary mind”which positions him as both modest and incredible, as he offers that out of all creatures, only humans have the capacity for reason, but underlines that each individual person has this ability. This document proves, however, that Descartes is using this quality with skill finesse.  He demonstrates both book and life learning by noting that he is well traveled, and has been educated and well versed in the arts, sciences, theology and philosophy, with the wisdom to know how to value and apply this knowledge.

In Part 2, Descartes speaks to the importance of a single united thought, where God's thought is "incomparably better ordered than all the others" and uses the concept of the structure and management of a house as a metaphor for the structure and management of his mind.  He then creates structured principles for his thought processes, with which he is able to solve any scientific or philosophical problems.

1. He will not accept anything as true which he does not clearly know to be true.
2. He will divide each difficulty which he examines into as many parts as possible in order to better examine and resolve the issue.
3. He will conduct his thoughts in an orderly way, beginning with the simplest objects and increasing to the complex concepts.
4. He will make his calculations as complete as possible, while keeping his review as general as possible so that he is confident that every truth is accounted for.

In Part 3 Descartes defines his "provisional morality", so that he does not lose his grip on the forces of the physical world:

1. He must obey the laws and the customs of his country and his religion.
2. He must be as constant and resolute in his actions as possible.
3. He must try to manage his life and desires instead of relying on circumstance to change to meet his needs.
4. He must use all of his life to cultivate reason and continue his search for the truth.

In Part 4, he offers the famous phrase "I think, therefore I am", and introduces the idea that this monumental ability to think, and more than that, this pursuit and specific complex idea was put in him "by a nature which was truly more perfect than" he, that is "a nature which was God".  He establishes a difference between "intelligent nature" and "corporeal nature", thus introducing the idea of soul vs. body, and notes that without God, neither would exist. 

Part 5 deals with the physicality of the body, and showcases Descarte's knowledge of the sciences. He uses this knowledge to underline the complexities of the human body and mind and attributes their creation to the perfect being.  He notes that no animal, nor any man-made invention could be mistaken for God's work.   He sees "thought", and the ability to share these thoughts as the unique characteristics that prove that "true human beings' have souls and are different than beasts. Further to that, as there is no known way to damage the soul, it follows that the soul is, in fact, immortal.

As in the introduction, Part 6 concludes Descarte's arguments with self-deprecating comments designed to assure the reader that his theories have withstood examination from many learned scholars and he stands by them.  He does not share his theories lightly, but offers them to the world, confident in their truth.

Works Cited:

Descartes, René. Discourse on the Method for Reasoning Well and for Seeking Truth in the Sciences.  Trans. Ian Johnston. 2010.  Web.  Link to full text.