Rene Descartes
Rene Descartes
René Descarteswas a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. Dubbed the father of modern western philosophy, much of subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which are studied closely to this day. He spent about 20 years of his life in the Dutch Republic...
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth31 March 1596
CityIndre-et-Loire, France
best common habit hardest matters satisfy thinks
Common sense is the best distributed thing in the world, for everyone thinks he is so well-endowed with it that even those who are hardest to satisfy in all other matters are not in the habit of desiring more of it than they already have
thinking common-sense desire
Everybody thinks himself so well supplied with common sense that even those most difficult to please. . . never desire more of it than they already have.
respect thinking common-sense
Common sense is the most fairly distributed thing in the world, for each one thinks he is so well-endowed with it that even those who are hardest to satisfy in all other matters are not in the habit of desiring more of it than they already have.
humorous men common-sense
Common sense is the most widely shared commodity in the world, for every man is convinced that he is well supplied with it.
thinking common-sense world
Common sense is the best distributed thing in the world, for we all think we possess a good share of it.
thinking common-sense needs
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
doubt philosophy therefore
Dubito ergo cogito; cogito ergo sum.(I doubt, therefore I think; I think therefore I am)
determine follow ought power probable
When it is not in our power to determine what it true, we ought to follow what is most probable
desire fairly good hardest respect satisfy thinks
Of all things, good sense is the most fairly distributed: everyone thinks he is so well supplied with it that even those who are the hardest to satisfy in every other respect never desire more of it than they already have.
strange
There is nothing so strange or so unbelievable that it has not been said by one philosopher or another
books books-and-reading conversation finest good men past reading
The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of past centuries.
desire difficult equally everybody good matters please senses thinks
Good sense is of all things in the world the most equally distributed, for everybody thinks he is so well supplied with it, that even those most difficult to please in all other matters never desire more of it than they already possess.
among desire difficult equally good himself larger provided satisfy thinks
Good sense is, of all things among men, the most equally distributed; for everyone thinks himself so abundantly provided with it, that those even that those who are the most difficult to satisfy in everything else, do not usually desire a larger meas
follow ought power
When it is not in our power to follow what is true, we ought to follow what is most probable.