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It is contrary to reasoning to say that there is a vacuum or space in which there is absolutely nothing.

Rene Descartes

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Rene Descartes
Age: 53 †
Born: 1596
Born: March 31
Died: 1650
Died: February 11
Astronomer
Correspondent
Mathematician
Mechanical Automaton Engineer
Military Personnel
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La Haye en Touraine
Descartes
Cartesius
Renatus Cartesius
Vacuums
Vacuum
Reasoning
Contrary
Absolutely
Space
Nothing

More quotes by Rene Descartes

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The reading of all good books is indeed like a conversation with the noblest men of past centuries who were the authors of them, nay a carefully studied conversation, in which they reveal to us none but the best of their thoughts.
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Except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power.
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Give me extension and motion and I will construct the universe.
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It is to the body alone that we should attribute everything that can be observed in us to oppose our reason.
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If ... it is not in my power to arrive at the knowledge of any truth, I may at least do what is in my power, namely, suspend judgement.
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I know that I exist the question is, What is this 'I' that 'I' know.
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Even those who have the weakest souls could acquire absolute mastery over all their passions if we employed sufficient ingenuity in training and guiding them.
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It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well.
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I experienced in myself a certain capacity for judging which I have doubtless received from God, like all the other things that I possess and as He could not desire to deceive me, it is clear that He has not given me a faculty that will lead me to err if I use it aright.
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Few look for truth many prowl about for a reputation of profundity by arrogantly challenging whichever arguments are the best.
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But possibly I am something more than I suppose myself to be.
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I should consider that I know nothing about physics if I were able to explain only how things might be, and were unable to demonstrate that they could not be otherwise.
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Travelling is almost like talking with those of other centuries.
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...it is certain that I am really distinct from my body, and can exist without it.
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So blind is the curiosity by which mortals are possessed, that they often conduct their minds along unexplored routes, having no reason to hope for success, but merely being willing to risk the experiment of finding whether the truth they seek lies there.
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I was convinced that our beliefs are based much more on custom and example than on any certain knowledge.
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He who hid well, lived well.
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Let whoever can do so deceive me, he will never bring it about that I am nothing, so long as I continue to think I am something.
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How can you be certain that your whole life is not a dream?
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On the one hand I have a clear and distinct idea of myself, in so far as I am a thinking, non-extended thing and on the other hand I have a distinct idea of body, in so far a this is simply an extended, non-thinking thing. And, accordingly, it is certain that I am really distinct from my body, and exist without it.
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