more from René Descartes

Single Idea 3630

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 3. Innate Knowledge / a. Innate knowledge]

Full Idea

You can't prove that Praxiteles never made any statues on the grounds that he did not get from within himself the marble from which he sculpted them.

Gist of Idea

Our thinking about external things doesn't disprove the existence of innate ideas

Source

René Descartes (Reply to Fifth Objections [1641], 362)

Book Reference

Descartes,René: 'Meditations on First Philosophy etc.', ed/tr. Cottingham,John [CUP 1986], p.79