MEDITATIONS ON FIRST PHILOSOPHY

Meditations on First Philosophy  by René Descartes is a foundational text in Western philosophy, first published in 1641. In this profound work, Descartes explores the nature of existence, knowledge, and the relationship between the mind and the body. Through a series of meditations, he seeks to establish a secure foundation for scientific knowledge, famously beginning with the idea of cogito, ergo sum (“I think, therefore I am”).

The text is divided into six meditations, in which Descartes doubts everything he previously believed, including the existence of the external world and even his own body. His method of radical doubt ultimately leads him to the conclusion that the only certainty is his own existence as a thinking being. Descartes goes on to argue for the existence of God and the distinction between the mind and the body.

A cornerstone of modern philosophy, “Meditations on First Philosophy” addresses key questions about reality, perception, and reason, laying the groundwork for the development of epistemology and metaphysics. This work continues to be a critical text for students of philosophy, offering deep insights into the nature of human thought and knowledge.