MEDITATIONS ON FIRST PHILOSOPHY

Description

Meditations on First Philosophy by René Descartes is a foundational text in modern Western philosophy. In it, Descartes seeks to establish knowledge on a firm foundation by doubting everything that can be doubted, arriving at the famous conclusion, “Cogito, ergo sum”—“I think, therefore I am.” He uses methodical skepticism to question the reliability of the senses and the existence of the physical world. Descartes then argues for the existence of a perfect, non-deceptive God as a guarantor of truth. With God as the foundation, he rebuilds knowledge, including the existence of the self and the external world. The work bridges rationalism and metaphysics, deeply influencing later philosophical thought.