Descartesism

Descartesism is a philosophical movement named after René Descartes, a 17th-century French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. It is characterized by its emphasis on rationalism, skepticism, and the use of deductive reasoning. Descartesism posits that knowledge is derived from innate ideas and that the mind is a blank slate at birth, which it fills through experience and reason. This approach contrasts with empiricism, which holds that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience.

Descartesism is rooted in Descartes' famous method of doubt, which involves systematically questioning one's beliefs to discern which are certain and which are uncertain. This method led Descartes to conclude that he could doubt everything except for his own existence, which he took as a fundamental truth. From this starting point, he sought to build a system of knowledge based on reason alone.

Key figures associated with Descartesism include Baruch Spinoza, who developed a systematic philosophy based on Descartes' ideas, and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who expanded on Descartes' rationalism and introduced the concept of monads. Descartesism has had a significant influence on Western philosophy, particularly in the areas of epistemology, metaphysics, and the philosophy of mind. However, it has also been criticized for its reliance on reason to the exclusion of experience and for its tendency to prioritize abstract, theoretical knowledge over practical, everyday understanding.