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

because such arguments cannot make any impression on the minds
of those who really understand my reasonings, and as the
judgments of many are so feeble and irrational that they very
often allow themselves to be persuaded by the opinions which
they have first formed, however false and far removed from
reason they may be, rather than by a true and solid but
subsequently received refutation of these opinions, I do not
desire to reply here to their criticisms in case of being
first of all obliged to state them. I shall only say in
general that all that is said by the atheist against the
existence of God, always depends either on the fact that we
ascribe to God affections which are human, or that we
attribute so much strength and wisdom to our minds that we
even have the presumption to desire to determine and
understand that which God can and ought to do. In this way
all that they allege will cause us no difficulty, provided
only we remember that we must consider our minds as things
which are finite and limited, and God as a Being who is
incomprehensible and infinite.

Now that I have once for all recognised and acknowledged
the opinions of men, I at once begin to treat of God and the
Human soul, and at the same time to treat of the whole of the
First Philosophy, without however expecting any praise from
the vulgar and without the hope that my book will have many
readers. On the contrary, I should never advise anyone to
read it excepting those who desire to meditate seriously with
me, and who can detach their minds from affairs of sense, and
deliver themselves entirely from every sort of prejudice. I
know too well that such men exist in a very small number. But
for those who, without caring to comprehend the order and
connections of my reasonings, form their criticisms on
detached portions arbitrarily selected, as is the custom with
many, these, I say, will not obtain much profit from reading
this Treatise. And although they perhaps in several parts
find occasion of cavilling, they can for all their pains make
no objection which is urgent or deserving of reply.

And inasmuch as I make no promise to others to satisfy
them at once, and as I do not presume so much on my own powers
as to believe myself capable of foreseeing all that can cause
difficulty to anyone, I shall first of all set forth in these
Meditations the very considerations by which I persuade myself
that I have reached a certain and evident knowledge of the
truth, in order to see if, by the same reasons which persuaded
me, I can also persuade others. And, after that, I shall
reply to the objections which have been made to me by persons
of genius and learning to whom I have sent my Meditations for
examination, before submitting them to the press. For they
have made so many objections and these so different, that I