Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason,
and Seeking Truth in the Sciences (Continued...)
PART III.
And finally, as it is not enough, before commencing to rebuild the house in which we
live, that it be pulled down, and materials and builders provided, or that we engage in
the work ourselves, according to a plan which we have beforehand carefully drawn out, but
as it is likewise necessary that we be furnished with some other house in which we may
live commodiously during the operations, so that I might not remain irresolute in my
actions, while my reason compelled me to suspend my judgement, and that I might not be
prevented from living thenceforward in the greatest possible felicity, I formed a
provisory code of morals, composed of three or four maxims, with which I am desirous to
make you acquainted.
The first was to obey the laws and customs of my country, adhering firmly to the faith
in which, by the grace of God, I had been educated from my childhood and regulating my
conduct in every other matter according to the most moderate opinions, and the farthest
removed from extremes, which should happen to be adopted in practice with general consent
of the most judicious of those among whom I might be living. For as I had from that time
begun to hold my own opinions for nought because I wished to subject them all to
examination, I was convinced that I could not do better than follow in the meantime the
opinions of the most judicious; and although there are some perhaps among the Persians and
Chinese as judicious as among ourselves, expediency seemed to dictate that I should
regulate my practice conformably to the opinions of those with whom I should have to live;
and it appeared to me that, in order to ascertain the real opinions of such, I ought
rather to take cognizance of what they practised than of what they said, not only because,
in the corruption of our manners, there are few disposed to speak exactly as they believe,
but also because very many are not aware of what it is that they really believe; for, as
the act of mind by which a thing is believed is different from that by which we know that
we believe it, the one act is often found without the other. Also, amid many opinions held
in equal repute, I chose always the most moderate, as much for the reason that these are
always the most convenient for practice, and probably the best (for all excess is
generally vicious), as that, in the event of my falling into error, I might be at less
distance from the truth than if, having chosen one of the extremes, it should turn out to
be the other which I ought to have adopted. And I placed in the class of extremes
especially all promises by which somewhat of our freedom is abridged; not that I
disapproved of the laws which, to provide against the instability of men of feeble
resolution, when what is sought to be accomplished is some good, permit engagements by
vows and contracts binding the parties to persevere in it, or even, for the security of
commerce, sanction similar engagements where the purpose sought to be realized is
indifferent: but because I did not find anything on earth which was wholly superior to
change, and because, for myself in particular, I hoped gradually to perfect my judgments,
and not to suffer them to deteriorate, I would have deemed it a grave sin against good
sense, if, for the reason that I approved of something at a particular time, I therefore
bound myself to hold it for good at a subsequent time, when perhaps it had ceased to be
so, or I had ceased to esteem it such.
My second maxim was to be as firm and resolute in my actions as I was able, and not to
adhere less steadfastly to the most doubtful opinions, when once adopted, than if they had
been highly certain; imitating in this the example of travelers who, when they have lost
their way in a forest, ought not to wander from side to side, far less remain in one
place, but proceed constantly towards the same side in as straight a line as possible,
without changing their direction for slight reasons, although perhaps it might be chance
alone which at first determined the selection; for in this way, if they do not exactly
reach the point they desire, they will come at least in the end to some place that will
probably be preferable to the middle of a forest. In the same way, since in action it
frequently happens that no delay is permissible, it is very certain that, when it is not
in our power to determine what is true, we ought to act according to what is most
probable; and even although we should not remark a greater probability in one opinion than
in another, we ought notwithstanding to choose one or the other, and afterwards consider
it, in so far as it relates to practice, as no longer dubious, but manifestly true and
certain, since the reason by which our choice has been determined is itself possessed of
these qualities. This principle was sufficient thenceforward to rid me of all those
repentings and pangs of remorse that usually disturb the consciences of such feeble and
uncertain minds as, destitute of any clear and determinate principle of choice, allow
themselves one day to adopt a course of action as the best, which they abandon the next,
as the opposite.
My third maxim was to endeavor always to conquer myself rather than fortune, and change
my desires rather than the order of the world, and in general, accustom myself to the
persuasion that, except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power; so
that when we have done our best in things external to us, all wherein we fail of success
is to be held, as regards us, absolutely impossible: and this single principle seemed to
me sufficient to prevent me from desiring for the future anything which I could not
obtain, and thus render me contented; for since our will naturally seeks those objects
alone which the understanding represents as in some way possible of attainment, it is
plain, that if we consider all external goods as equally beyond our power, we shall no
more regret the absence of such goods as seem due to our birth, when deprived of them
without any fault of ours, than our not possessing the kingdoms of China or Mexico, and
thus making, so to speak, a virtue of necessity, we shall no more desire health in
disease, or freedom in imprisonment, than we now do bodies incorruptible as diamonds, or
the wings of birds to fly with. But I confess there is need of prolonged discipline and
frequently repeated meditation to accustom the mind to view all objects in this light; and
I believe that in this chiefly consisted the secret of the power of such philosophers as
in former times were enabled to rise superior to the influence of fortune, and, amid
suffering and poverty, enjoy a happiness which their gods might have envied. For, occupied
incessantly with the consideration of the limits prescribed to their power by nature, they
became so entirely convinced that nothing was at their disposal except their own thoughts,
that this conviction was of itself sufficient to prevent their entertaining any desire of
other objects; and over their thoughts they acquired a sway so absolute, that they had
some ground on this account for esteeming themselves more rich and more powerful, more
free and more happy, than other men who, whatever be the favors heaped on them by nature
and fortune, if destitute of this philosophy, can never command the realization of all
their desires.
In fine, to conclude this code of morals, I thought of reviewing the different
occupations of men in this life, with the view of making choice of the best. And, without
wishing to offer any remarks on the employments of others, I may state that it was my
conviction that I could not do better than continue in that in which I was engaged, viz.,
in devoting my whole life to the culture of my reason, and in making the greatest progress
I was able in the knowledge of truth, on the principles of the method which I had
prescribed to myself. This method, from the time I had begun to apply it, had been to me
the source of satisfaction so intense as to lead me to, believe that more perfect or more
innocent could not be enjoyed in this life; and as by its means I daily discovered truths
that appeared to me of some importance, and of which other men were generally ignorant,
the gratification thence arising so occupied my mind that I was wholly indifferent to
every other object. Besides, the three preceding maxims were founded singly on the design
of continuing the work of self- instruction. For since God has endowed each of us with
some light of reason by which to distinguish truth from error, I could not have believed
that I ought for a single moment to rest satisfied with the opinions of another, unless I
had resolved to exercise my own judgment in examining these whenever I should be duly
qualified for the task. Nor could I have proceeded on such opinions without scruple, had I
supposed that I should thereby forfeit any advantage for attaining still more accurate,
should such exist. And, in fine, I could not have restrained my desires, nor remained
satisfied had I not followed a path in which I thought myself certain of attaining all the
knowledge to the acquisition of which I was competent, as well as the largest amount of
what is truly good which I could ever hope to secure Inasmuch as we neither seek nor shun
any object except in so far as our understanding represents it as good or bad, all that is
necessary to right action is right judgment, and to the best action the most correct
judgment, that is, to the acquisition of all the virtues with all else that is truly
valuable and within our reach; and the assurance of such an acquisition cannot fail to
render us contented.
Having thus provided myself with these maxims, and having placed them in reserve along
with the truths of faith, which have ever occupied the first place in my belief, I came to
the conclusion that I might with freedom set about ridding myself of what remained of my
opinions. And, inasmuch as I hoped to be better able successfully to accomplish this work
by holding intercourse with mankind, than by remaining longer shut up in the retirement
where these thoughts had occurred to me, I betook me again to traveling before the winter
was well ended. And, during the nine subsequent years, I did nothing but roam from one
place to another, desirous of being a spectator rather than an actor in the plays
exhibited on the theater of the world; and, as I made it my business in each matter to
reflect particularly upon what might fairly be doubted and prove a source of error, I
gradually rooted out from my mind all the errors which had hitherto crept into it. Not
that in this I imitated the sceptics who doubt only that they may doubt, and seek nothing
beyond uncertainty itself; for, on the contrary, my design was singly to find ground of
assurance, and cast aside the loose earth and sand, that I might reach the rock or the
clay. In this, as appears to me, I was successful enough; for, since I endeavored to
discover the falsehood or incertitude of the propositions I examined, not by feeble
conjectures, but by clear and certain reasonings, I met with nothing so doubtful as not to
yield some conclusion of adequate certainty, although this were merely the inference, that
the matter in question contained nothing certain. And, just as in pulling down an old
house, we usually reserve the ruins to contribute towards the erection, so, in destroying
such of my opinions as I judged to be Ill-founded, I made a variety of observations and
acquired an amount of experience of which I availed myself in the establishment of more
certain. And further, I continued to exercise myself in the method I had prescribed; for,
besides taking care in general to conduct all my thoughts according to its rules, I
reserved some hours from time to time which I expressly devoted to the employment of the
method in the solution of mathematical difficulties, or even in the solution likewise of
some questions belonging to other sciences, but which, by my having detached them from
such principles of these sciences as were of inadequate certainty, were rendered almost
mathematical: the truth of this will be manifest from the numerous examples contained in
this volume. And thus, without in appearance living otherwise than those who, with no
other occupation than that of spending their lives agreeably and innocently, study to
sever pleasure from vice, and who, that they may enjoy their leisure without ennui, have
recourse to such pursuits as are honorable, I was nevertheless prosecuting my design, and
making greater progress in the knowledge of truth, than I might, perhaps, have made had I
been engaged in the perusal of books merely, or in holding converse with men of letters.
These nine years passed away, however, before I had come to any determinate judgment
respecting the difficulties which form matter of dispute among the learned, or had
commenced to seek the principles of any philosophy more certain than the vulgar. And the
examples of many men of the highest genius, who had, in former times, engaged in this
inquiry, but, as appeared to me, without success, led me to imagine it to be a work of so
much difficulty, that I would not perhaps have ventured on it so soon had I not heard it
currently rumored that I had already completed the inquiry. I know not what were the
grounds of this opinion; and, if my conversation contributed in any measure to its rise,
this must have happened rather from my having confessed my Ignorance with greater freedom
than those are accustomed to do who have studied a little, and expounded perhaps, the
reasons that led me to doubt of many of those things that by others are esteemed certain,
than from my having boasted of any system of philosophy. But, as I am of a disposition
that makes me unwilling to be esteemed different from what I really am, I thought it
necessary to endeavor by all means to render myself worthy of the reputation accorded to
me; and it is now exactly eight years since this desire constrained me to remove from all
those places where interruption from any of my acquaintances was possible, and betake
myself to this country, in which the long duration of the war has led to the establishment
of such discipline, that the armies maintained seem to be of use only in enabling the
inhabitants to enjoy more securely the blessings of peace and where, in the midst of a
great crowd actively engaged in business, and more careful of their own affairs than
curious about those of others, I have been enabled to live without being deprived of any
of the conveniences to be had in the most populous cities, and yet as solitary and as
retired as in the midst of the most remote deserts.
(please continue to page 4)
American Historical Documents | Educational Stuff Main | Home
|
