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Single Idea 1369

[from 'Meditations' by René Descartes, in 11. Knowledge Aims / B. Certain Knowledge / 5. Cogito Critique ]

Full Idea

In the Cogito the work is all done by the demonstrative word 'I', because it is a precondition of the use of such a word that the thing to which it points has to exist.

Gist of Idea

It is a precondition of the use of the word 'I' that I exist

Source

comment on René Descartes (Meditations [1641], §2.26) by A.J. Ayer - The Problem of Knowledge Ch 2 (iii)

Book Reference

Ayer,A.J.: 'The Problem of Knowledge' [Penguin 1966], p.50