Descartes says "In order to be free I need not be capable of being moved in each direction; on the contrary, the more I am inclined toward one direction … the more freely do I choose that direction.â€
I am having a hard time understanding what he is saying here. Any ideas what he means by this quote?
Thankyou
not sure but I think he was talking about the deterministic nature of the will… not sure. A bit more context on your quote would be helpful
Oh and Welcome to ILP! I hope you enjoy your stay. You can check out the Mundane Babble section for the Introduction thread where you will probably have a warmer welcome.
To take a page from Imp’s book for a second, I’m pretty sure Descartes meant you shouldn’t try to do your homework by posting on a philosophy message board.
Descartes might have been thinking Cubic,that’s why you don’t understand:here is a more clear answer:
cubicao.tk/theory/principleopposites.html
Freedom of emotions,is probably what he meant,but he chose the religous derection as he said " the more I am inclined toward one direction … the more freely do I choose that direction",he refused too remian thinking cubic.the conclusion to this is:
LOL.
Of all the things Descartes might have been thinking… yeah, it was likely cubic.
cogito ergo cubus… or is it cubus ergo cogito?
one can never know the thoughts of the past,but one can know the posibilities.
He’s talking about the centre. That humans are absorbed by the dual nature of the world, that there is a place in the centre that isn’t affected by either direction. Right and wrong, black and white, left and right. Human beings are affected by what they see. Something happens in the external world and we move towards it. Who then is in control? The mind follows the path that it is trained on. So the more the mind is trained on a particular ‘direction’ the easier it is to follow that direction. Freedom is being free from external influence.
A
cubus ergo sum? cogito ergo sum ergo cubus?
I’m willing to turn this into a running gag against the Cubists(sic) if you are too
vester cubus ergo mei cubus ergo sumo summa ab cubus
my opinion on this comment. We all have abilities inate to ourselves. Like a person that does well in math might become a mathematician a scientist etc. aperson who can not comprehend math will not easliy become a scientist but still could. Now person one that is inclined will be able to enjoy this path and be able to get more freeedom and choices then person 2.
Descartes says ("In order to be free) (I need not be capable of being moved in each direction);( on the contrary,) (the more I am inclined toward one direction) … (the more freely do I choose that direction.†)
This is only one application to this encompassing statement of his. I see multiple meanings. This statement is thought provoking but, not all that confusing, read each part seperate. Break it down. It makes comprehension much easier when a statement confuses.