Discourse on the Method

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/discourse-on-the-method

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who wrote Discourse on the Method?March 31, 1596
2. What is the related topics?Epistemology, Metaphysics, Rationalism, Scientific Revolution, Cartesian Coordinates
3. What is "Discourse on the Method" about?It is a book by René Descartes that explains how to find true knowledge by questioning everything and using clear thinking.
4. What are the four maxims in Descartes' method?1) Only accept things you know clearly. 2) Break big problems into smaller parts. 3) Start with simple ideas and build up. 4) Check everything so nothing is left out.

Epistemology: The branch of philosophy concerned with the theory of knowledge, its nature, and scope.
Metaphysics: The branch of philosophy that deals with the fundamental nature of reality and being.
Mind-Body Dualism: The philosophical view that the mind and body are distinct and separable entities.