
René Descartes is the one who gave us the famous phrase
“I think, therefore I am.”
But in contemporary discussions, Descartes is often dismissed or used as a way for modern thinkers to show how much better their ideas are.
It’s easy to forget that Descartes was a revolutionary thinker in his time.
So, let’s dig deeper into his philosophy and clear up some misunderstandings.
Cartesian Doubt: Pretend Doubt, Not Radical Skepticism
One of Descartes’ most well-known ideas is his method of doubt.
The common understanding is that Descartes rejected everything he believed in, searching for something he could know for sure.
This sounds like radical skepticism, but that’s not quite right.
Descartes wasn’t really doubting everything—he was pretending to doubt everything.

Imagine you’re a detective trying to figure out who committed a crime. You might pretend to believe the suspect is innocent in order to prove that they’re guilty.
Similarly, Descartes pretends to doubt all his beliefs to find the one thing he can’t doubt—his own existence.
This method isn’t about rejecting all knowledge, but rather using doubt as a tool to uncover what can be truly known.
Descartes’ “Cogito”—I think, therefore I am—is the one thing he realizes he cannot doubt.
This was a major breakthrough because it was something certain in an uncertain world.
The Role of God in Descartes’ Philosophy
A lot of people think Descartes’ philosophy revolves solely around proving the existence of God.
While it’s true that Descartes did offer arguments for God’s existence, they aren’t the only element of his “thought mechanism”.
The foundation of Descartes’ philosophy is common sense.
Descartes believed that we all have the ability to know the truth through our common sense.
This isn’t about being intellectually brilliant—it’s about our basic, personal intuitions.
According to Descartes, we can all grasp fundamental truths if we approach things with a clear, methodical mind.
Yes, Descartes believed in God and used God to secure truth in his system. But his belief in God wasn’t the starting point—it was more of a secondary issue.
Descartes used the idea of God to help explain why the world worked the way it did, but at the core of his philosophy was the idea that common sense is the key to discovering truth.

Descartes and Scholasticism: Challenging Tradition
Descartes was writing during a time when scholasticism dominated philosophy.
Scholastics were mostly concerned with interpreting and adding to the works of earlier thinkers like Aristotle.
In contrast, Descartes was determined to start from scratch.
He wanted to build a new foundation for knowledge based on individual reason, not just the accumulated wisdom of the past.
This was revolutionary. Scholastics believed that truth was something that needed to be unearthed by studying ancient texts and interpreting them.
Descartes, however, argued that truth was accessible to everyone, regardless of their background, if they just used their own reason and common sense.
What makes this important is that Descartes didn’t believe that only scholars or philosophers could access truth.
He democratized knowledge by showing that anyone, no matter their education, could arrive at basic truths through careful thought.

The Historical Context: Descartes and the Catholic Inquisition
Now, let’s take a step back and think about the world Descartes was writing in.
During his time, Galileo was condemned by the Catholic Inquisition for his scientific views, and Descartes himself was accused of atheism.
In 1643, he had to flee Utrecht to avoid persecution. His need to reconcile his ideas with religious beliefs was likely a survival strategy.
Though Descartes genuinely believed in God, his philosophical work was more concerned with human reason and common sense than with proving religious truths.
However, in an era of strict religious control, he had to frame his ideas in a way that wouldn’t put him in danger.
The existence of God was important for Descartes’ system, but it wasn’t the only driving force.
His true project was to show that reason and common sense could lead to certainty.
Descartes’ humorous comment that “common sense is the most fairly distributed thing in the world” shows that he thought this ability was universal.
It’s not about being particularly smart or educated—it’s about taking the time to carefully examine your own thoughts and beliefs.
In a world dominated by tradition and authority, Descartes was advocating for personal responsibility in the search for truth.

The Misinterpretation of Descartes’ Legacy
In modern philosophy, some people try to push a more “scientific” approach to knowledge, such as the evolutionary theory of knowledge, which says that our brains are evolved to understand the world in ways that are mostly accurate but flawed.
This can sometimes lead to a circular argument.
Descartes, on the other hand, didn’t rely on circular reasoning. His belief in common sense doesn’t come from some evolutionary instinct; it’s simply an assumption that we all have the capacity to understand basic truths.
Though Descartes’ ideas were groundbreaking in his time, modern philosophers sometimes oversimplify them to contrast their own ideas.
But his emphasis on common sense and individual reason still holds up today.
Summary Table: Key Differences Between Scholasticism and Descartes’ Approach
Aspect | Scholasticism | Descartes’ Approach |
---|---|---|
Source of Knowledge | Based on interpreting past authorities | Based on individual reason and common sense |
Role of Tradition | Strong reliance on traditional texts | Rejected tradition, started from scratch |
Philosophical Method | Building on and interpreting past knowledge | Starting with doubt to build certainty |
Focus | Faith in established wisdom | Personal responsibility for truth |
View of Common Sense | Often disregarded in favor of expert interpretation | Central to understanding truth |
Conclusion: Why Descartes Still Matters
René Descartes’ philosophy isn’t just about the famous Cogito; it’s about the democratization of knowledge.
By emphasizing the role of common sense, Descartes made the pursuit of truth something that anyone could engage with, regardless of their background or education.
While his ideas were controversial in his time, they laid the foundation for modern philosophy, challenging old traditions and empowering individuals to think for themselves.
By rethinking Descartes’ work, we can better appreciate his lasting influence.
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