Fired with the pursuit of knowledge, Descartes spent the rest of his life travelling and observing the different customs of people, showing that he couldn’t trust the certainty of what he had previously learnt. So, as soon as Descartes was able to escape from the control of the teachers, he did abandoning altogether the study of letters. Lastly, when it came to other disciplines, Descartes saw them built on shaky foundations and done for the sake of honour and profit. As for philosophy, although its history consisted of great minds, the uncertain conclusions of the same mattered proposed by different men dissatisfied Descartes. Also, seeing that the path of heaven is open to both the learned and the ignorant, Descartes refused to take the path of theology, which, in the task of studying it, required “extraordinary assistance from heaven, and to be more than merely human” (p.8). And, although he was really keen on mathematics, he was unsure of its true use outside mechanical arts. Descartes enjoyed poetry yet thought of it as more of a product of the mind rather than of studies. He narrates how he was educated in classical studies in his earliest years and explains that his devotion to the study of the languages, histories, fables of the classical world prevented him from seeing that “everything not in accordance with our own customs is ridiculous and irrational” (p.6). Although each person may be equal in possessing the same forms or nature, everyone uses different methods of reasoning in different ways.ĭescartes then provides his own journey in which he found satisfaction only through equipping a philosopher’s eye in the pursuit of truth, and thus fashioned a method. However, “ it is not enough to possess a good mind the most important thing is to apply it correctly” (p.2).

Descartes states that every man is equally equipped with “good sense”, which is the faculty of judgement that leads one to wisdom.

Rene descartes discourse on method