Two works from the father of modern philosophy. In Discourse on Method, he formulated a scientific approach comprising four principles, including to accept only what reason recognizes as "clear and distinct." In Meditations, he explores the mind/body distinction, the nature of truth and error, the existence of God, and the essence of material things.

"It is not enough to have a good mind; it is more important to use it well" René Descartes was a central figure in the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century. In his Discourse on Method he outlined the contrast between mathematics and experimental sciences, and the extent to which each one can achieve certainty. Drawing on his own work in geometry, optics, astronomy and physiology, Descartes developed the hypothetical method that characterizes modern science, and this soon came to replace the traditional techniques derived from Aristotle. Many of Descartes’ most radical ideas—such as the disparity between our perceptions and the realities that cause them—have been highly influential in the development of modern philosophy. This edition sets the Discourse on Method in the wider context of Descartes’ work, with the Rules for Guiding One’s Intelligence in Searching for the Truth (1628), extracts from The World (1633) and selected letters from 1636-9. A companion volume, Meditations and Other Metaphysical Writings, is also published in Penguin Classics.

The book is considered to be one of the greatest classics in philosophy. It provokes one into thinking about the truths and realities of life. The author has presented his philosophy that all sufferings and miseries of human kind will be resolved due to human intellect with the passage of time. A master-piece that aggravates thinking!

Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One's Reason and of Seeking Truth in the Sciences, a seminal work by René Descartes, serves as a foundational text in the realm of modern philosophy and scientific thought. In this groundbreaking treatise, Descartes outlines his method for acquiring knowledge and emphasizes the importance of doubt and critical thinking as tools for uncovering truth. His famous declaration, "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am"), encapsulates his belief in the power of reason as the primary source of certainty. Throughout the discourse, Descartes systematically challenges established beliefs, advocating for a methodological skepticism that encourages individuals to question everything they think they know. By employing a structured approach to reasoning, he distinguishes between knowledge derived from sensory experience and that which comes from rational thought, thus laying the groundwork for the scientific method and rational inquiry. Discourse on the Method is not just a philosophical essay; it is a call to intellectual independence and critical examination. Descartes' insights into the nature of existence, knowledge, and the self invite readers to embark on their own journeys of understanding. His exploration of the relationship between the mind and body, as well as his arguments for the existence of God, continue to resonate with scholars and thinkers today. Readers are drawn to Discourse on the Method for its clarity and depth, making complex ideas accessible to a wide audience. This work is essential for anyone interested in philosophy, science, and the foundations of rational thought. Owning a copy of Discourse on the Method is akin to holding a key to the development of modern philosophy, inspiring critical thinking and encouraging readers to explore the realms of reason and truth.

By far the most widely used translation in North American college classrooms, Donald A. Cress's translation from the French of the Adam and Tannery critical edition is prized for its accuracy, elegance, and economy. The translation featured in the Third Edition has been thoroughly revised from the 1979 First Edition and includes pages references to the critical edition for ease of comparison.

And for my part, I had undoubtedly been of the number of those latter, had I never had but one Master, or had I not known the disputes which [26]have alwayes hapned amongst the most learned. For having learnt from the very School, That one can imagin nothing so strange or incredible, which had not been said by some one of the Philosophers; And having since observ'd in my travails, That all those whose opinions are contrary to ours, are not therefore barbarous or savage, but that many use as much or more reason then we; and having consider'd how much one Man with his own understanding, bred up from his childhood among the French or the Dutch, becomes different from what he would be, had he alwayes liv'd amongst the Chineses, or the Cannibals: And how even in the fashion of our Clothes, the same thing which pleas'd ten years since, and which perhaps wil please ten years hence,