Descartes Discourse on Method, Part 1: On the Proper Goals of Education (Video 1 of 2)

Summary

In this philosophical lecture, the instructor delves into the first part of Descartes' 'Discourse on Method', exploring the purpose of education as Descartes saw it: the pursuit of 'certain and useful' knowledge. The discussion contrasts classical and modern educational goals, highlighting the tension between knowledge for its own sake and practical utility. Descartes' personal journey with education serves as a fable, guiding students to reflect on the true aims of learning in the context of both personal development and societal contribution.

Takeaways

• 📚 The class is focused on reading and discussing 'Discourse on Method' by René Descartes, a pivotal work in the history of philosophy.
• 🕰 The text was written in the 1600s, marking a significant shift in philosophical thought from the classical period to the modern era.
• 🎯 Descartes' work is divided into six parts, each addressing different aspects of his philosophical method and goals for education.
• 🤔 The primary goals of education as outlined by Descartes are to achieve clear and assured knowledge that is useful in life.
• 📈 Descartes reflects on his own education, questioning the certainty and utility of what he learned, and suggesting a new approach to learning.
• 📘 The 'Discourse on Method' is contrasted with 'Meditations on First Philosophy,' another key work by Descartes that will also be read in part.
• 🔍 The class will skip Part Three of 'Discourse on Method' due to time constraints, but will delve into the other parts for a comprehensive understanding.
• 🧠 Descartes' epistemology and metaphysics are central to Part Four, where he applies his method and discusses its implications.
• 🌱 Part Five and Six deal with the second goal of philosophy for Descartes, which involves understanding nature and the mastery over it.
• 🏛 The script touches on the classical versus modern views of education, highlighting a shift from knowledge for its own sake to practical utility.
• 🤓 Descartes is considered the 'father of modern philosophy,' and his ideas on the purpose of education reflect a modern perspective that values both wisdom and practical application.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the class discussion on Descartes' 'Discourse on Method'?

The class discussion primarily focuses on Part One of Descartes' 'Discourse on Method,' where Descartes sets out his goals for education and discusses the purpose of learning.

Why is Descartes considered the 'father of modern philosophy'?

Descartes is considered the 'father of modern philosophy' because of his modern approach to the purpose of education and his foundational contributions to philosophical thought in the 1600s, which laid the groundwork for subsequent philosophical developments.

What are the two fundamental goals for learning that Descartes identifies?

Descartes identifies two fundamental goals for learning: acquiring clear and assured knowledge, and ensuring that this knowledge is useful in life.

Why does the professor suggest that modern universities are in disarray?

The professor suggests that modern universities are in disarray because they attempt to serve both the classical idea of education for wisdom and the practical aims of education, creating a tension between these two different purposes.

What is the difference between the classical and modern views on the purpose of education?

The classical view of education was focused on knowledge for its own sake, with philosophy and theology at the pinnacle. The modern view, as exemplified by Descartes, emphasizes the importance of clear, assured, and useful knowledge for practical life.

Why does Descartes describe his 'Discourse on Method' as a fable?

Descartes describes his 'Discourse on Method' as a fable to encourage readers to consider his life and experiences as a teaching tool, with the intention that they learn from his personal journey and draw similar conclusions.

What is the significance of Descartes being both a philosopher and a mathematician?

The significance of Descartes being both a philosopher and a mathematician is that it highlights his ability to bridge the gap between abstract thought and practical application, which is a central theme in his work on the method of learning.

What does the term 'liberal education' refer to in the context of classical education?

In the context of classical education, 'liberal education' refers to an education that is free from practical ends, focusing on knowledge for its own sake and not constrained by the need to acquire specific skills for immediate practical use.

How does the professor describe the structure of 'Discourse on Method'?

The professor describes the structure of 'Discourse on Method' as being broken up into six parts, with each part focusing on different aspects of Descartes' method and goals for education, including his epistemology and metaphysics.

What is the relationship between Descartes' goals for education and his work in philosophy and mathematics?

Descartes' goals for education, which emphasize certainty and utility, are closely related to his work in philosophy and mathematics. His pursuit of clear and assured knowledge reflects his philosophical inquiries, while his interest in usefulness aligns with his mathematical work and its applications.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Descartes' Discourse on Method

This paragraph introduces the class's focus on Rene Descartes' 'Discourse on Method,' a seminal work from the 1600s that bridges the gap between classical philosophers like Plato and Aristotle and modern thought. The instructor outlines the structure of the book, highlighting its six parts, and indicates the class will cover the first part in detail, where Descartes discusses his educational goals. The instructor also mentions the transition from reading works of Kant and Mill to Descartes and sets the stage for a deeper dive into epistemology and metaphysics in the subsequent parts of the 'Discourse on Method.'

05:01

🎓 The Evolution of Educational Philosophy

The second paragraph delves into the evolution of educational philosophy, contrasting the classical view of education as a pursuit of knowledge for its own sake with the modern university's approach, which attempts to balance practical skills with the pursuit of wisdom. The instructor discusses the classical focus on philosophy and theology as the pinnacle of university studies and contrasts this with the modern university's diverse range of subjects, including practical disciplines like nursing and business. The paragraph reflects on the resulting tension and confusion in modern education, which tries to serve both the classical ideal of wisdom and the modern need for practical skills.

10:01

🤔 Descartes' Reflection on the Purpose of Education

In this paragraph, Descartes reflects on the purpose of education, drawing from his own experiences and convictions. He emphasizes the pursuit of 'clear and assured knowledge' that is useful in life, setting the stage for his two main educational goals: certainty and utility. Descartes' approach to education is personal and reflective, inviting readers to learn from his life as a 'fable' and to draw similar conclusions about the value of education. The paragraph also touches on Descartes' dual identity as a philosopher and mathematician, hinting at the contrast between these disciplines in his educational philosophy.

Keywords

💡Rene Descartes

Rene Descartes was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist who is often referred to as the 'father of modern philosophy.' His work, 'Discourse on Method,' which is the focus of the video script, is foundational in modern Western philosophy. Descartes is known for his method of doubt and his famous dictum 'Cogito, ergo sum' ('I think, therefore I am'). In the script, Descartes' educational goals and his approach to learning are discussed in the context of his philosophical contributions.

💡Discourse on Method

The 'Discourse on Method' is a philosophical work by Descartes that outlines his approach to acquiring knowledge. It is divided into six parts, each addressing different aspects of his method and goals for education. The script discusses the structure of the 'Discourse on Method,' highlighting its significance in the history of philosophy and its impact on the modern understanding of education.

💡Epistemology

Epistemology is the philosophical study of knowledge, its nature, and scope. In the script, it is mentioned that part four of the 'Discourse on Method' deals with Descartes' epistemology, where he discusses how he applies his method to achieve certain knowledge. The term is misstated in the script as 'epistemology' but corrected immediately, indicating its relevance to Descartes' philosophical inquiries.

💡Metaphysics

Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the first principles of things, including the nature of reality and the nature of being. The script refers to part four of the 'Discourse on Method,' where Descartes begins to apply his method and delves into metaphysics, exploring the fundamental nature of existence and knowledge.

💡Educational Goals

The script explores the purpose of education as presented by Descartes in 'Discourse on Method.' He identifies two primary goals for learning: acquiring 'clear and assured knowledge' and ensuring that this knowledge is useful in life. These goals reflect Descartes' view on the importance of certainty and utility in the educational process.

💡Clear and Assured Knowledge

In the context of the script, 'clear and assured knowledge' refers to Descartes' desire for a type of knowledge that is both evident and reliable. He seeks a method that guarantees certainty in learning, which is a central theme in his philosophical quest for a solid foundation of knowledge.

💡Usefulness (Utility)

Utility, in the script, is associated with the practical application of knowledge. Descartes believes that the knowledge acquired through education should not only be certain but also useful in life. This concept is reminiscent of the utilitarian philosophy discussed by John Stuart Mill, where the value of actions is determined by their usefulness or contribution to overall well-being.

💡Classical Education

The script contrasts classical education with the modern approach, highlighting the classical focus on knowledge for its own sake, often culminating in the study of philosophy and theology. Classical education aimed to cultivate wisdom and was considered a 'liberal education,' free from practical ends, which is different from the more utilitarian focus of modern education.

💡Modern Philosophy

The term 'modern philosophy' is used in the script to describe the shift in philosophical thought from the classical to a more contemporary approach. Descartes is considered a pivotal figure in this transition due to his emphasis on methodical doubt and the quest for certainty, which laid the groundwork for later philosophical developments.

💡Philosophy and Mathematics

The script mentions that Descartes was both a philosopher and a mathematician, indicating the intersection of these disciplines in his work. His approach to philosophy was influenced by the rigor of mathematical reasoning, which he sought to apply to the pursuit of knowledge, emphasizing the importance of a systematic and logical method.

💡Fable

In the script, Descartes encourages readers to view his 'Discourse on Method' as a fable, a story with a moral or lesson. He wants readers to learn from his personal experiences and draw conclusions about the nature of education and the pursuit of knowledge, using his life as an example to illustrate his philosophical points.

Highlights

Introduction to Descartes' Discourse on Method and its historical context.

Descartes' Discourse on Method is divided into six parts, each with a specific focus.

Part one of the Discourse sets out Descartes' goals for education.

Descartes' two fundamental goals for learning: certainty and utility.

Descartes' method for achieving his educational goals, introduced in part two.

Part three is skipped due to class time constraints.

Part four discusses the application of Descartes' method to epistemology and metaphysics.

Descartes' achievement of the first educational goal in part four.

Part five introduces a new idea of nature presented by Galileo and Descartes.

Part six discusses the mastery of nature in relation to the second educational goal.

The modern university's mix of classical and practical education causing disarray.

The contrast between the classical idea of education for wisdom and the modern practical aims.

Descartes' personal experiences and reflections on his own education.

Descartes' desire for clear and assured knowledge through education.

The importance of philosophy and mathematics in Descartes' educational goals.

Descartes' view on the classical 'liberal education' and its contrast with modern practical education.

Transcripts

Good day, philosophers! Today we're going to start our reading and discussion of Rene

Descartes' Discourse on Method and fundamentally in today's class we're going to learn about part one of Descartes' Discourse on Method and this is a

really interesting book this is written in the 1600s; it's about

2,000 years later in history from where we left off. For the most part we've been

reading Plato and Aristotle -- we did talk a little bit about Kant and Mill sort

of as intermediaries and they are actually philosophers that come after Rene Descartes but um and the next philosopher really reading in detail is

here is Descartes and in particular this Discourse on Method though we're also

going to read some bits of the Meditations on First Philosophy --

isn't it nice that those two books came together in this little tiny book all

this one and we're actually gonna read virtually the whole of the Discourse on

Method. We will see that the Discourse on Method is broken up into six parts right

so in our table of contents here you'll see there's parts one through six of the

Discourse. I wrote in some information about what each of them are about I just

want to quickly summarize the way this text is going to be set up so we're

gonna see off the back part one is going to be the sort of starting point of this

of this entire text -- well quite literally is obviously -- but in

part one is where Descartes is going to set out his goals for education. He's

gonna think about his own education and and talk about what his two fundamental

goals are for all learning: what's the purpose of learning things? Right, so

we'll see what those two goals are and then we'll see starting in part two

we'll see Descartes starting to set up a method for achieving at least the

first of those two goals. We'll see the kind of method that he'll come up with

Part three we're actually not gonna read; we're gonna skip over that. There's

there's -- it would be worth looking at but for the sake of our abbreviated class we

can skip it. But we'll jump to part 4 where Descartes gonna talk about the

method that he described in part 2 and start to apply it and here's where we're

really gonna see what could be called Descartes' epistemology (misspoke)

epistemology and some metaphysics and we see some applications. And in part

four we're going to ultimately see how Descartes achieves the first goal he's

gonna have for his education. Part five is then gonna be a departure. In part

five and part six Descartes is gonna deal with the second goal he has for

philosophy, right? And part 5 will ultimately talk about this new idea that

of nature that's fundamentally presented by Galileo and Descartes is gonna find

incredibly influential. And then we'll see it culminate in part six we're in

the idea of the mastery of nature which will ultimately serve the to solve the

second goal for our education, right? So let's just think

about education -- oh let's get back in focus. Let's start thinking about our

education in general: why do we get educated? Why are you in college? Why do

we have people -- ooo come on let's focus -- why do people go to high school why why

do we have education at all? Well some people might say that they go to college

and stuff like that because they want to be able to get a job -- or at least the

kind of job that they want to get. They want to be able to make money, right? And

they want to have enough money -- that's a money sign -- make enough money to sort of

live the life that they would they want to live. Some people talk about how

education is ultimately related to equality and equity, right? I'm trying to

make sure that everyone has an equal footing and an equal chance in this

world to sort of do the things that they want to do and be equal citizens with

one another. Some people talk about how the the goal of education is simply

to learn and to understand things that you wouldn't understand at all and in

many ways actually I would say is about building up culture, right? It's about

developing a common set of stories in a common language with which we can

interact which is sort of building up our society as a whole. And so I mean

there's there's a lot of different ideas here but if we go back that actually

starting with Descartes -- and if we want to get a sense of how he is a very

modern philosopher -- Descartes is called the "father of modern philosophy"

and you might think that's funny because Descartes writes his philosophy

in the 1600s -- phil-os-o-phy, can I spell when I'm trying to speak quickly?

um Descartes is considered the "father of

modern philosophy" now it seemed weird like I was saying because he's writing

in the 1600s that doesn't sound very modern that's a very very long time ago

but we're gonna see that part of what makes him modern is since sort of modern

idea of what the purpose of education is. So if we think of in a classical sense

so we look at the way things used to be classically right -- classically speaking

that education was something that was sort of divided into two

parts there was sort of -- thinking about what the purpose of a university is and

the ultimate goal of a university, in sort of a classical sense, was knowledge

for its own sake, right? It was to just know for its own sake, that the pinnacle

the pinnacle of a university the pinnacle thing you could possibly study

believe it or not as you might imagine was philosophy and theology, right? And

why would you study philosophy and theology because you want to understand

the most important things right other things that you would study in

university ultimately we were just for the sake of someone trying to become

wise and trying to understand: it sounds very philosophical really, right? And that

was the sort of classical idea of education; but then then there's a lot of

practical things that you'd want to learn and where did you learn practical

stuff, right? Where did you learn practical stuff? Well you didn't

necessarily go to university to learn practical stuff you might learn them

through ultimately guilds or like apprenticeships and things like that. So

if you wanted to learn particular skills that's where you went. Now if we look at

today's modern universities we see a weird mishmash of stuff right and sort

of the modern university that we have, we actually have the university try to do

both of these things at the exact same time and I think that's one of the

reasons why our modern universities are in such disarray to some extent is

because they're not entirely sure what they're doing right. What do I mean? You

know you can go to a modern University and you can you can study philosophy

right in the modern University you can study theology but you'll also study

nursing right and you'll also study a business right and there's fundamentally

something different about saying nursing and business and philosophy.

Philosophy is something that's ordered towards just knowing for its own sake

even though it can have some practical uses. Nursing and business and things

like that are the opposite; they're they're not necessarily studied for

their own sake. Nursing is studied in order to sort of help others right --

can you read that? I hope you can, umm -- business is sort of studied to well -- and

maybe it's to help others -- but to help yourself it's - its - it's to make money

to some extent right and these are ultimately very practical things. And so

we have this weird tension within our modern universities between this this

classical idea that the purpose of a university is for the sake of wisdom and

building up culture and learning versus a lot of the practice

aims of education that also seemed to be taken up by the university. And this is

so we kind of had this interesting I would argue almost a kind of schism that

can cause a lot of confusion it's one of the reasons why to some extent you guys

when you are taking this class right now. Most you aren't -- or none of you the best

of my knowledge -- probably are philosophy majors. Ever so often

I'll have some philosophy majors come through but why are people taking

philosophy? In part it's because we still have this idea that the goal of

education should be wisdom, all right? At least the goal of of university

education is that when you graduate you should be a generally more intelligent

person who knows about a lot of stuff, right? And so we want you to become that

kind of person and that's one of the reasons why you're educated the way that

you are, right? Okay, so let's let's turn to Descartes -- this is just reflecting on

education in general. The Discourse on Method, Part One Descartes

reflects on his own education and he raises this question: what is the purpose

of education? So I'm just going to really briefly here summarize

Descartes on this and and there's some really beautiful things that happen in

the very first paragraph of the Discourse on Method; I'm gonna ignore a

lot of that beautiful stuff and just start here on page three. One of the

first things that we're gonna see as we read this text that Descartes wants us

to read this book in a kind of funny way. I'll tell you reading this is very

different from reading Plato or Aristotle it's in some -- I argue that it's

one of the easiest books that we'll have to read but there's a lot of subtle

depth here this is probably one of the most carefully constructed kind of

straightforward essays that we have encountered in the course. But

Descartes wants to set us up to think about this this book in a special way --

He says, "But putting forward this essay merely as a story or if you prefer as a

fable in which among some examples one can imitate, one will perhaps also find

many others which one will have reason not to follow." So notice that Descartes

immediately wants you to consider this text like it's a fable and a fable if

you ever heard of -- what's a fable? fable is like a story with a lesson.

Descartes is trying to teach you a lesson; he says read my life as a kind of

fable, as something that's supposed to teach you a kind of lesson. Now what's

the lesson he wants to teach? It'll be kind of interesting. Just an aside here

as well too and Descartes says that this is his story and really this is

to be a very personal text. Descartes is going to walk us through this book, he's

gonna walk us in part one through his education in a very personal way,

describing his own personal experiences but he intends for us to learn from his

personal experiences, for us to sort of draw the same conclusions he does,

because he has this interesting rhetorical style where he doesn't

necessarily present arguments directly to you, to say, "Here, you evaluate

this" as much as along the way he's just going show you his own line of reasoning.

He's going to -- he's hoping that as we read this that we keep nodding our head

along with him so that will draw the similar kind of conclusions and take his

life as a fable that we'll learn from. Okay, so what -- how do we begin?

When Descartes asks the question, "what's the purpose of his education?"

we'll see right here in our textbook -- our text page 3 -- if you go to marginal line numbers

this would have been just at the end of page four -- Descartes -- this is the most

important sentence for us to see Descartes' goals for all learning and

education. He writes, "I have been nourished on letters since my childhood

and because I was convinced that by means of them one could acquire a clear

and assured knowledge of everything that is useful in life I had a tremendous

desire to master them." You'll see that that ultimately we have two goals for

learning. Descartes presents two goals for learning. He says first of all that

he was "convinced that by means of them he could acquire clear and assured

knowledge" and then second he wants that "clear and assured knowledge"

of the things that are useful in life. And so what are Descartes' goals? -- I'm

gonna zoom up here just a little bit -- when Descartes looks at the goals of

education -- goals of education -- Descartes says he wants clear and assured

knowledge. Now what's clear and assured? I'm just gonna call -- I'm gonna call that

"certain." He wants something that's clear and assured in other words he wants

certainty in in his learning. Second notice he said he wanted something that

is useful -- he wants things that are certain and useful, right? Another name

for useful or usefulness we could call "utility," right? And that actually should

ring a bell from even reading John Stuart Mill and "Utilitarianism" -- a concept

of utility. So Descartes says that in his in his idea of education

he wants knowledge that's going to be certain and useful.

Then he goes throughout the rest of part one to sort of reflect on to what

extent the things he learned really were certain and useful. Now fun fact about

Descartes -- Descartes was both a philosopher and a mathematician.

We're gonna see that philosophy and mathematics sort of are the fundamental

contrast that he's gonna present here. Remember in our classical

understanding of things -- in our classical idea of the university the fun-

that the the the goal was to know for its own sake and philosophy was the kind

of pinnacle here. One little fact I want to add here just to think about what

classical education was: The classical education was fundamentally supposed to

be called like a kind of "liberal education" -- it has nothing to do with

politics once again -- it has to be a kind of education that's free from ultimately

from practical ends. It's free from the kind of constraining forces about just

what needs to be get -- needs to get done. it's something that's fundamentally

"leisurely" and this is actually -- if we go back to leisurely - is that how you spell it? I

think it is. Um if you go back to Aristotle...