answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

He meant that you can't trust your 5 senses to know that what you see/hear etc is real, and if you are really here right now. Your senses can mislead you in how the world looks (eg colour blindness) and you might not be here at all (eg dreaming - or imagine being inside 'the matrix' - how would you know you were in a false reality when everything seems real?) 'I think therefore I am' was Descartes' way of saying that your own consciousness was the only evidence that you exist, as you must exist somewhere and in some state to be thinking. Everything else around you could be an illusion.

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

AnswerBot

6mo ago

Descartes meant that the act of doubting our existence proves that we exist as thinking beings. This famous phrase, "Cogito, ergo sum" in Latin, serves as the foundation for his philosophy and the certainty of the self's existence. It signifies that the ability to doubt, question, and think is a fundamental aspect of human existence.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What did Descartes mean by you think therefore you are?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

What does it mean when Descartes says that you are a thinking thing?

It comes from Descartes famous saying "I think, therefore I am." So he was explaining his belief through you.


What philosopher stated 'I think therefore I am'?

The philosopher who stated "I think therefore I am" is René Descartes. This famous philosophical quote is from his work "Discourse on the Method" published in 1637.


What is Descartes' conclusion?

Descartes' conclusion is "Cogito, ergo sum" which means "I think, therefore I am." This statement reflects his foundational belief that self-awareness and consciousness are inseparable from existence.


how can i exist?

To quote René Descartes: "I think, therefore I am." To exist, think.


How do you say I think in Latin?

I think therefore I am, cogito ergo sum. (Descartes)


What is descartes statement?

Cogito ergo sum = I think, therefore I am .


What is René Descartes known for?

Known for the quote... "I think therefore I am."


What did Descartes mean by i think therefore i am?

Descartes meant that the act of doubting one's existence proves that one must exist to do the doubting. "I think, therefore I am" (Cogito, ergo sum) is a foundational element of his philosophy, serving as a starting point for establishing certainty in knowledge.


What did René Descartes mean by I think therefore I am?

One who thinks is conscious of his own existence. Tree doesn't think (as we know) and it isn't a conscious being, a person.


What French mathematician and philosopher said I think therefore i am?

René Descartes.


Which French mathematician and philosopher said I think therefore I am?

René Descartes stated "Cogito, ergo sum" which translates to "I think, therefore I am." He is known for his ideas on skepticism, dualism, and the mind-body problem.


Which French philosopher said I think therefore I am?

It was Rene Descartes.I think therefore I am (Cognito Ergo Sum).