"I think therefore I am." (Rene Descartes)

submitted by [deleted] from self.quotes

all 23 comments
sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

I'm going to go ahead and argue against this position.

The self is not a static thing, its state is constantly in flux. The 'I's' that existed 20 years or 10 seconds ago have changed by varying degrees to create the current 'I'. Permanence is an illusion. 'I thought therefore I was' is more a more accurate thing to say, as the you that started the thought is not the same you that is mulling it over.

🤯

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Kudos for using my "everchanging" snake nature against myself. I can see you growing only by investing the time to structure your thoughts.

Q.E.D. (fyi).

This one really agitates me. Feels like first semester math club. :)

Edit:

Time is "just" another dimension. With "classical" backwards metrics. So I could openly omit your point completely.

But since this actually is no quote but an invitation neither me nor Descartes won't start things like that. Just remember: Historically he lost his head for being so bold to state things like this. That is why I quoted Euler beforehand.

Because "normal" people rather omit historical context than looking deeply into them, from my experience.

And since nowadays i algorithmically was forced to realize that there seemingly is public interest in taking pictures of me as a living being: I won't lose my head over this one.

[–]twolanterns 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

The 'I's' that existed 20 years or 10 seconds ago have changed by varying degrees to create the current 'I'

The 'YOU' is a continuum that itself is a continuous adjustment minutely or significantly

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

And then there is any partition of unity.

I nowadays won't break my noodles about this one...

[–]chottohen 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (7 children)

Never put Descartes before Horace.

[–]Tom_Bombadil 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (5 children)

Never put Descartes before Horace

Diogenes

[–]chottohen 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (4 children)

Good to see you Tom.

[–]Tom_Bombadil 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

What up Playboy!

[–]chottohen 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

I drink therefore I am.

[–]Tom_Bombadil 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

I Tom therefore I think.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

geniusly done.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Yeah. You shouldn't. The inversion is funny.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

This is no "wrong" translation or quotation. I wrote it exactly the way I want you to read it.

(Fyi: I even decided against the "hence" with carries some heavily fused logical brainbombs.)

[–]Vulptex 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

For him in practice it was "I speak, therefore I am". This was his excuse to torture dogs.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

So one could argue, he actually was forced to meet the guillotine for killing dogs.

Looks like a reasonable decision, imo.

[–]Vulptex 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Honestly I think torture is a much worse crime than killing.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Is it, though ?

With all those self-optimization and self-torturing going on ?

Look at them. I just like looking at accountants, e.g.

With a microscope. But nonetheless.

You get the idea.

[–]Dragonerne 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

"I think" presupposes the existence of the "I", so it is circular reasoning.

Another good rebuttal (although comedic) is:

Americans refute the quote "I think therefore I am", because while they exist, they don't think.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

So obviously is the axiom of existence itself.

Not to offend: But without axioms, even sets (e.g.) get quite simple. Trivially, of course, every set can be empty. But - per observation - this isn't the point here.

Somewhere you gotta start... Just saying. I even support you point, but this wasn't where did want to go here.

Question everything... Or do tiktok.

Genetics (theoretically) should do the rest. :-P

[–]Dragonerne 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

I just saw your username. Are you an anti white racist?

https://files.catbox.moe/azfvpa.mp4

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

I'm seldom anti. Except YouTube. I'm anti-YouTube.

Seemingly so far this holds.

Or: They stop their pathetic attempts trying to trick me intro watching more ads.

[–]Dragonerne 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

I can save your life then it seems:
Download this internet browser

https://brave.com/download/

I use it myself. It is just like Edge, Firefox, Chrome, etc. Any other internet browser but it is focused on privacy and also you wont ever get any ads on youtube.

A christian made it. You never have to complain or get bothered by youtube ads ever again, enjoy!

[–][deleted]  (2 children)

[deleted]

    [–]Dragonerne 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    Ask your son or someone young to help you install this browser. Just show them my comment.

    It is annoying to watch the ads all the time :)