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Single Idea 3617

[filed under theme 12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 6. A Priori from Reason ]

Full Idea

I have tried to find in general the principles or first causes of everything which is or which may be in the world, ..without taking them from any other source than from certain seeds of truth which are naturally in our minds.

Gist of Idea

I aim to find the principles and causes of everything, using the seeds within my mind

Source

René Descartes (A Discourse on Method [1637], §6.64)

Book Ref

Descartes,René: 'Discourse on Method/The Meditations', ed/tr. Sutcliffe,F.E. [Penguin 1968], p.80

The 7 ideas with the same theme [a priori knowledge as the produce of pure reason]:

9343 To achieve pure knowledge, we must get rid of the body and contemplate things with the soul [Plato]
3617 I aim to find the principles and causes of everything, using the seeds within my mind [Descartes]
5571 Reason contains within itself certain underived concepts and principles [Kant]
12418 In long mathematical proofs we can't remember the original a priori basis [Kitcher]
9342 Understanding needs a priori commitment [Horwich]
9160 Lots of propositions are default reasonable, but the a priori ones are empirically indefeasible [Field,H]
17714 Aristotelians dislike the idea of a priori judgements from pure reason [Mares]