On The Method, Descartes discusses and questions his educational upbringing. Descartes proclaims that he received a great Jesuit education that promised to provide him with knowledge of everything important. Descartes says that the more he learned the more he began to question himself, and that the more he actually retained the knowledge he gained the more he was made clearly aware of his own ignorance. Descartes states the most men in his same position would possibly gain a much more insightful experience from going through the rigorous structure of education he gained but also claims that only a few men have had the privilege to experience life for itself for gaining experience from life itself versus the structured system of the Jesuit educational system.
Similar to my own personal experiences going to a predominantly white suburban high school and transferring to a catholic private school.I relate to Descartes position and why he comes to the conclusion he does. While I do appreciate the study and learning skills I learned while attending Wootton High School and St. John’s Preparatory. I too was made clearly aware of how ignorant I was to own personal lifestyle as compared to my peers. I was being educated as to how I should be perceive in a society that rarely accepts my people due to a deep-rooted culture and ideology of superiority. I was made to believe I was exceptional because I went to these great schools and succeeded to which to this day remains to be seen. One thing I did know is that I was very lucky but also reminded of how different I was from my peers.
Descartes also outlines his method of doubts into four simple rules of logic to use and implement in everyday life. Firstly, accept what you know as true as something that cannot be doubted. Secondly, any question you come across divide into parts of understanding. Thirdly, when dealing with issues deal with the simpler problems first before moving on to the more complex. Lastly, always review and retain the information received in an argument in order to provide a educated rebuttal. Descartes attempts to defeats the traits of skepticism on its on foundations by question where our perceived doubt stems from. Descartes’s motto if you will throughout Method II is his somewhat extreme proclamation “cogito, ergo sum” which is latin for “I think, therefore I am”.
Descartes uses this statement to defeat the foundations of skepticism. In life we are faced with trials and tribulations that may or cause doubt. Experiences shape our levels of skepticism and we have to establish our doubts as exactly what they are unfiltered thoughts that we must differentiate from truths. The truth is the truth can never be doubted but to each his own truth which makes our lives that more much complex. Descartes statements regards in mainly simple thinking but hold a much more complex meaning. He hopes to alleviates the stresses of doubt we as people face all the time. Whether he was able to accomplish maybe at this point doesn’t seem as he planned but he created a foundation of thinking that we revere to this day.
