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Descartes was a very unique thinker. He had a burning desire to discover truth, which is something that I think most of us can relate to quite well. He proposed 4 methods for discovering truth, which I want to very briefly summarize.
1. Never accept something as true just because you like the way it sounds- investigate until you have proof that it is truth.
2. Whenever you encounter a problem, break it down into smaller parts until you can be satisfied you have addressed every aspect of the issue.
3. Start with the simplest answers and work your way up until you can answer the most complicated questions. In other words, start with the basics.
4. Don't stop investigating until you are satisfied that you have thoroughly answered every question that was proposed.
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We would do well to learn from Descartes and apply these methods in our lives. In his "Discourse on Method", Descartes holds that we need to apply these methods to achieve our full thinking potential. Going off of that, I think it holds true that in order to achieve our full potential as humans, we must learn to think critically and honestly about everything around us. This requires a lot of humility and diligence, but as we begin to understand the world, we begin to understand ourselves.
I think you make a great point when you said that to reach our full potential as humans, we need to learn to think critically. I think this is why education is so important, because it allows us to train our minds to work at a deeper level. We become greater instruments and deepen our capacity to help those around us when we have critical thinking skills. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI especially like method #3, which says that we should start with the simplest answers and work our way up. Just as water finds the easiest path (gosh-- I sound like I'm quoting Pocahontas), I believe that most things in life are not as complicated as we like to make them.
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