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Discovering The Mystery Behind: I Think, Therefore I Am.
In 1644 a French philosopher and mathematician named René Descartes published a book called Principles of Philosophy where he wrote (in Latin) one of the most famous quotes in history: I think, therefore I am.
As I was contemplating the quote, I realized I had no idea what it was really describing. I had always assumed it meant “if I can think it, then I can do it” but as I would come to learn, that assumption- much like the assumptions we make about many old quotes- was very wrong.
Descartes is looking toward the ending years of his life when he writes the book and he’s searching for something very specific as he explores the realm of philosophical possibility. He is looking for one single statement that could never be proven false. It’s a very ambitious task, but Descartes is up for the challenge. To book opens with a section called The Principles of Human Knowledge and right off the bat, Descartes is making a bold statement.
“The seeker after truth must once in his lifetime doubt everything that he can doubt.”
