上海交通大学：《欧洲文化导论》课程教学资源_沉思录节选 Excerpts from Descartes’ works

Excerpts from Descartes'works

Excerpts from Descartes’ works

Translate the following passage THE Meditation of yesterday has filled my mind with so many doubts,that it is no longer in my power to forget them.Nor do I see,meanwhile,any principle on which they can be resolved;and, just as if I had fallen all of a sudden into very deep water,I am so greatly disconcerted as to be made unable either to plant my feet firmly on the bottom or sustain myself by swimming on the surface.I will,nevertheless,make an effort,and try anew the same path on which I had entered yesterday,that is,proceed by casting aside all that admits of the slightest doubt,not less than if I had discovered it to be absolutely false;and I will continue always in this track until I shall find something that is certain,or at least,if I can do nothing more,until I shall know with certainty that there is nothing certain.Archimedes,that he might transport the entire globe from the place it occupied to another,demanded only a point that was firm and immovable so also,I shall be entitled to entertain the highest expectations,if I am fortunate enough to discover only one thing that is certain and indubitable. From Meditation by Descartes

Translate the following passage • THE Meditation of yesterday has filled my mind with so many doubts, that it is no longer in my power to forget them. Nor do I see, meanwhile, any principle on which they can be resolved; and, just as if I had fallen all of a sudden into very deep water, I am so greatly disconcerted as to be made unable either to plant my feet firmly on the bottom or sustain myself by swimming on the surface. I will, nevertheless, make an effort, and try anew the same path on which I had entered yesterday, that is, proceed by casting aside all that admits of the slightest doubt, not less than if I had discovered it to be absolutely false; and I will continue always in this track until I shall find something that is certain, or at least, if I can do nothing more, until I shall know with certainty that there is nothing certain. Archimedes, that he might transport the entire globe from the place it occupied to another, demanded only a point that was firm and immovable ; so also, I shall be entitled to entertain the highest expectations, if I am fortunate enough to discover only one thing that is certain and indubitable. • From Meditation by Descartes

Descartes'method of doubt,known as the method of Cartesian doubt can be expressed through four rules: "The first of these was to accept nothing as true which I did not clearly recognize to be so;that is to say,carefully to avoid precipitation and prejudice in judgments,and to accept in them nothing more than what was presented to my mind so clearly and distinctly that I could have no occasion to doubt it. "The second was to divide up each of the difficulties which I examined into as many parts as possible,and as seemed requisite in order that it might be resolved in the best manner possible. "The third was to carry on my reflections in due order, commencing with objects that were the most simple and easy to understand,in order to rise little by little,or by degrees,to knowledge of the most complex... "The last was in all cases to make enumerations so complete and reviews so general that I should be certain of having omitted nothing. --From Great Books

Descartes’ method of doubt, known as the method of Cartesian doubt can be expressed through four rules: • "The first of these was to accept nothing as true which I did not clearly recognize to be so; that is to say, carefully to avoid precipitation and prejudice in judgments, and to accept in them nothing more than what was presented to my mind so clearly and distinctly that I could have no occasion to doubt it. • "The second was to divide up each of the difficulties which I examined into as many parts as possible, and as seemed requisite in order that it might be resolved in the best manner possible. • "The third was to carry on my reflections in due order, commencing with objects that were the most simple and easy to understand, in order to rise little by little, or by degrees, to knowledge of the most complex ... • "The last was in all cases to make enumerations so complete and reviews so general that I should be certain of having omitted nothing." -- From Great Books