Philosophy / Unit 2 Philosophy 0056 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Descartes' Method of Doubt
Captions available
The idea
Descartes' method of doubt: to find an unshakable foundation, treat any belief that can be doubted as if it were false.
In practice
In the Meditations he razes the building to its foundations—senses, body, world—to see what, if anything, survives.
Where people slip
The doubt is a tool, not a lifestyle. Descartes doubts in order to rebuild.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for Philosophy