The phrase "Cogito, ergo sum," coined by French philosopher René Descartes, has established itself as one of the most iconic statements in the history of philosophy, as documented in his work "Discourse on the Method" (Ortiz, 2020). This proposition has not only achieved considerable fame over the years but also marks the beginning of a new era in philosophical thought known as modern rationalism (Ortiz, 2020). However,what is its meaning? Where does this phrase by Descartes come from?
Meaning
The famous proposition "I think, therefore I am," originally from the French language as "je pense, donc je suis," was later translated into Latin with the form "cogito, ergo sum," which translates more precisely as "I think, therefore, I am" (Ortiz, 2020). This statement transcends mere literal translation and stands as an indisputable truth, constituting the fundamental pillar of knowledge (Ortiz, 2020). In agreement with Sidali (n.d.), the doubt about one's own existence cannot be deceptive, since the mere act of questioning confirms the reality of the thinking mind; indeed, there must be an entity that thinks.
Origin and Explanation
To understand the meaning of the famous phrase, it is imperative to consider both the historical context and the philosopher's contributions to rationalism and the genesis of modern philosophy (Ortiz, 2020). Descartes, an itinerant thinker in search of new knowledge, strove to establish the foundations of philosophical knowledge, aspiring to overcome the old notions rooted in tradition or in sensory experience. He maintained that reason is the only path to accurate knowledge and, therefore, the senses are not reliable. He postulated that, as in the natural sciences, philosophy could use a method to obtain indisputable certainties. In this way, he tried to structure philosophy as a science, progressing from simple to complex concepts. To achieve this, according to Ortiz (2020), he formulated four essential rules: the first, to seek clarity and evidence; the second, to proceed through division or analysis; the third, to advance through synthesis; and the fourth, to carry out an exhaustive enumeration or review.
The Methodical Doubt
The first step in the method proposed by Descartes is, at the same time, the starting point to reach his famous statement (Ortiz, 2020). In his Meditations, he reflects on his erroneous beliefs and proposes to address this problem with the hope of finding a way to ensure that he only has true beliefs and even aspires to scientific research to also produce only truths (Miceli, 2018). To achieve this, Descartes uses methodical doubt, a constructive and provisional approach that contrasts with skeptical doubt, which tends to be more destructive and permanent (Galisteo, 2013). Methodological doubt implies not accepting anything as true without clear evidence, avoiding hasty judgments (Ortiz, 2020). In short, in agreement with Ortiz (2020), trusting the senses can be confusing, and methodical doubt helps us avoid falling into mere intuitions.
In Search of an Absolute Certainty
For Descartes, certainty is defined as clear and secure knowledge of something, without a doubt (Ortiz, 2020). In his search for a solid foundation for science, he focused on indisputable truths, also known as certainties (Galisteo, 2013).Then, he developed a method to discover these certainties, which would serve as the basis for all knowledge (Galisteo,2013). In this context, he questioned the reliability of the senses, reality itself, and the mind, and pointed out that each certainty is subject to methodical doubt (Ortiz, 2020). Thus, in agreement with Ortiz (2020), he asks himself: does anything really exist that is indisputable? Is there any evidence to challenge this procedure?
I Think, Therefore I Am
René Descartes, without a doubt, accepted an irrefutable principle, a truth that admits no questioning (Ortiz, 2020). His entire philosophy is built on this basis: "I think, therefore I exist" (Galisteo, 2013). This statement has a double meaning. On the one hand, in the midst of doubt, he realizes that he cannot doubt his own doubt; that is, doubting that he is doubting is, in itself, a form of doubt. Therefore, he has the certainty that he is doubting. Now, since doubting implies thinking, he cannot doubt that he is thinking. The existence of thought implies the existence of a thinking being, since thoughts require a support. In this way, he reaches the unequivocal conclusion that, if there is thought, there must also exist something that thinks (Galisteo, 2013). Consequently, in agreement with Ortiz (2020), the proposition "I think, therefore I am" can be interpreted as the starting point from which Descartes attempted to demonstrate the existence of other entities, based on the knowledge of our own existence.
References
Galisteo, E. (2013). «Pienso, luego existo» | La guía de Filosofía. La Guía. Recuperado 7 de diciembre de 2021, de https://filosofia.laguia2000.com/el-racionalismo/pienso-luego-existo
Miceli, C. (2018). “I think, therefore I am”: Descartes on the Foundations of Knowledge. 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology. Recuperado 27 de noviembre de 2021, de https://1000wordphilosophy.com/2018/11/26/descartes-i-think-therefore-i-am/
Ortiz, M. (2020). Pienso, luego existo: significado, origen y explicación de la frase. Cultura Genial. Recuperado 27 de noviembre de 2021, de https://www.culturagenial.com/es/pienso-luego-existo/
Sidali, D. (s.f.). “I Think, Therefore I Am”. Albert Ellis Institute. Recuperado 28 de noviembre de 2021, de https://albertellis.org/2016/06/i-think-therefore-i-am/
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