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 * René Descartes**

**By: Sarah McClelland** **René Descartes is often called the “Father of Modern Philosophy” (Skirry). Descartes was awarded this name due to his break from** **Scholastic-Aristotelian** **ways, the schooling of Aristotle’s philosophy, which was so wide spread at this time. Also René is acknowledged for his development of** **mechanistic sciences, the laws of nature purely physical no spiritual views. Descartes believed that these scholars were subject to faults due to the fact that the philosophers based most of their work on sensation rather then science (Skirry). As he states “I am indeed amazed when I consider how weak my mind is and how prone to error”(Descartes). Descartes knew that the human brain was not perfect and that everyone was subject to error. This is why he doubted so many colleagues. Descartes doubted everything especially his own work this is why he discovered so much. “The first precept was never to accept a thing as true until I knew it as such without a single doubt” (Descartes). Descartes could have been said as to start this way of thinking. The train of thought as to doubt everything, that nothing is right until all other possibilities had been proven wrong. Descartes also brought with his work the acknowledgement that the king and church had to much power over the people. “Except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power” (Descartes). He knew that if the church did not like things then it would be swept under the rug so to speak. Yet Descartes brought these times upon the people to question and never give up. He brought upon our ways today.** "Rene Descartes Quotes." //Famous Quotes and Quotations at BrainyQuote//. Web. 07 Aug. 2009. . Skirry, Justin. "Descartes: An Overview [Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy]." //The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - IEP//. Web. 07 Aug. 2009. .