Descartes’ Discours de la méthode

The Discours de la méthode is a philosophical and autobiographical treatise published by René Descartes in 1637. Without any doubt, the Discours is one of the most influential works in the history of Modern Philosophy. In this treatise, Descartes tackles the problem of the metaphysical truth and skepticism and sows the seed for his well-known philosophical claims appearing only later in his Meditationes de prima philosophia.

The Discours de la méthode is, of course, best known as the source of Descrates’ famous quotation: "Je pense, donc je suis”.

In this performance, Enola Rindlisbacher, a student in philosophy and ex-scientific collaborator for Philosophie.ch, honors this mantra by engaging herself in a reading of some passages from the Discours de la méthode, on the improvised music by Miro Caltagirone, Hervé Thiot, Benjamin Weber, and Silvia Berchtold.

 “La puissance de bien juger, et distinguer le vrai d'avec le faux, qui est proprement ce qu'on nomme le bon sens, ou la raison, est naturellement égale en tous les hommes.”

Discours de la méthode (1637) de René Descartes

Here is the recording:

The event, organized within the framework of Agora project, took place in Monte Verità (Ascona), a meeting place for the well-known life-reformers (Lebensreform), artists, writers, and supporters of various alternative movements in the first decades of the 20th century. 

Discover other that took place in Monte Verità:

Rafaela Scheiwiller's philosophical meditation

Valentina Luporini on Giordano Bruno's De la causa

Philipp Blum, Fabienne Forster, and Simon Kräuchi on Wissenschaft der Logik