# I explained — Philosophical Works

> Chapter companion for Philosophical Works by René Descartes.

## What happens

Descartes introduces the necessity of a single, sweeping doubt of all things to overcome childhood prejudices and seek truth, doubting anything with even the smallest suspicion of uncertainty.

## Themes in this chapter

### Methodical Doubt

The chapter explicitly introduces the principle of doubting all things that admit even the smallest uncertainty, as a foundational step toward truth.

### Skepticism and Certainty

The text contrasts the prejudices of childhood with the need for radical skepticism to achieve certain knowledge.

## Character check-ins

### Narrator

The voice of the text, reflecting on the need to doubt all things once in life.

### René Descartes

Implied author and subject of the philosophical method described.

## Key lines

> As we were at one time children, and as we formed various judgments regarding the objects presented to our senses, when as yet we had not the entire use of our reason, numerous prejudices stand in the way of our arriving at the knowledge of truth; and of these it seems impossible for us to rid ourselves, unless we undertake, once in our lifetime, to doubt of all those things in which we may discover even the smallest suspicion of uncertainty.

Because we were once children and made judgments based on sensory experience before our reason was fully developed, we are burdened with many prejudices that block truth; the only way to overcome them is to doubt everything that could possibly be uncertain, at least once in our lives.

_This passage establishes the motivation and method for Descartes' radical doubt._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/philosophical_works_se/chapters/i
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/philosophical_works_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/philosophical_works_se/chapters