Descartes Quote by Lee Braver
““Starting from Descartes’ commitment to a few absolutely certain innate ideas and reason’s ability to determine some facts about reality a priori, Leibniz ended up making all ideas innate and deducing how God must have set up the universe. On the other side, Hume continued Locke’s emptying out of the mind until there was no longer a there there, that is, not even a substantial mind to be emptied.””
About This Quote
Source Book: “The History of Philosophy” by Lee Braver, 2018
Descartes’ certainty leads to Leibniz’s innate ideas, while Hume’s skepticism empties the mind, showing divergent epistemic paths.
In simple terms: Descartes, Leibniz, and Hume illustrate contrasting views on innate ideas.
Key Takeaway
Explore foundational philosophical debates.
Themes
philosophy
epistemology
innate ideas
skepticism
rationalism
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
serious
Type
academic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic courses
- philosophical essays
- debate clubs
- research projects
Key Concepts
metaphysics
cognitive theory
historical analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- What assumptions underlie innate ideas?
- How does skepticism shape knowledge?
A Different Perspective
Complex ideas can be abstract for beginners.
![“Descartes gave sight to the blind. These saw the errors of antiquity and of the sciences. The path he struck out is since become boundless […] In fathoming this abyss no bottom has been found. We are now to examine what discoveries Sir Isaac Newton has made in it.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/752/voltaire-173_abyss_descartes-gave-sight-to-the-blind-these_224597.jpg)
