"Meditations On First Philosophy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Descartes Rene)

the things of the world.

And as regards the soul, although many have considered
that it is not easy to know its nature, and some have even
dared to say that human reasons have convinced us that it
would perish with the body, and that faith alone could believe
the contrary, nevertheless, inasmuch as the Lateran Council
held under Leo X (in the eighth session) condemns these
tenets, and as Leo expressly ordains Christian philosophers to
refute their arguments and to employ all their powers in
making known the truth, I have ventured in this treatise to
undertake the same task.

More than that, I am aware that the principal reason
which causes many impious persons not to desire to believe
that there is a God, and that the human soul is distinct from
the body, is that they declare that hitherto no one has been
able to demonstrate these two facts; and although I am not of
their opinion but, on the contrary, hold that the greater part
of the reasons which have been brought forward concerning
these two questions by so many great men are, when they are
rightly understood, equal to so many demonstrations, and that
it is almost impossible to invent new ones, it is yet in my
opinion the case that nothing more useful can be accomplished
in philosophy than once for all to seek with care for the best
of these reasons, and to set them forth in so clear and exact
a manner, that it will henceforth be evident to everybody that
they are veritable demonstrations. And, finally, inasmuch as
it was desired that I should undertake this task by many who
were aware that I had cultivated a certain Method for the
resolution of difficulties of every kind in the Sciencesеa
method which it is true is not novel, since there is nothing
more ancient than the truth, but of which they were aware that
I had made use successfully enough in other matters of
difficultyеI have thought that it was my duty also to make
trial of it in the present matter.

Now all that I could accomplish in the matter is
contained in this Treatise. Not that I have here drawn
together all the different reasons which might be brought
forward to serve as proofs of this subject: for that never
seemed to be necessary excepting when there was no one single
proof that was certain. But I have treated the first and
principal ones in such a manner that I can venture to bring
them forward as very evident and very certain demonstrations.
And more than that, I will say that these proofs are such that
I do not think that there is any way open to the human mind by
which it can ever succeed in discovering better. For the
importance of the subject, and the glory of God to which all
this relates, constrain me to speak here somewhat more freely