Rene Descartes 1596-1650 Rene Descartes 1596-1650

Descartes’ Reasoning:Therefore, Descartes cannot be deceivedin believing that he exists, for even if heis being deceived, he exists.• The prerequisite for his having thisthought that he is deceived is that heexists; there is no alternative explanation,no ground for doubting that he exists.• Thus, he knows clearly and indubitablythat he exists.• This line of reasoning is sometimesreferred to as the cogito.56