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Single Idea 4301

[from 'Meditations' by René Descartes, in 3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 8. Subjective Truth ]

Full Idea

Leibniz objected to Descartes' theory of truth, saying that people may think something is clear and distinct, and yet be wrong.

Gist of Idea

Someone may think a thing is 'clear and distinct', but be wrong

Source

comment on René Descartes (Meditations [1641], §3.36) by Gottfried Leibniz - works

Book Reference

Cottingham,John: 'The Rationalists' [OUP 1988], p.49


A Reaction

Quite so. Descartes has misunderstood what sort of concept 'truth' is meant to be. It's the usual confusion of epistemology and metaphysics. Truth is not a feature of the human mind.