René Descartes
France, seventeenth century
Methodical doubt seeks a secure foundation for knowledge.
Historical context
The Discourse on Method appeared in 1637 and the Meditations in 1641, during a period of change in European natural philosophy and mathematics.
Overview
The dream argument asks whether a particular experience guarantees the existence of its objects. The inquiry seeks what remains certain when claims open to doubt are provisionally suspended.
Main claims
The act of doubting allows one to recognise one’s existence while thinking.
Debates and nuances
His method of doubt is a stage of inquiry intended to overcome scepticism.
This entry provides educational context.