As Professor Thompson taught us, the main purpose of Philosophy can be summed up in one question. That question is "What is the author saying and is he right?" I summed up what Descartes was saying in my first post (descartes discourse 3) and in this post I would like to agree with Descarte's ideas and verify that he was right. If you were to follow the 4 maxims he outlined you would have a lot less stress than most people do.
Maxim 1: For the most part, laws and regulations are set in place in order to protect citizens. So, if you are breaking a law there is a good chance that you have a lot of stress in your life because you are invovled with illegal businesses, drugs, etc. Thus, staying within the limits of the law SHOULD help to reduce stress.
Maxim 2: Making a decision and sticking with it usually results in a better outcome than second guessing yourself, overanalyzing, and making a bad decision. Thus, following your gut feeling should reduce stress because you will have fewer regrets and more confidence in your decision making skills.
Maxim 3: Setting out to change the world is sure to be filled with stress and hostility. Take global warming for example. Environmentalists try to do their part in the world by getting a fuel-efficient car, car pooling, installing home-solar panels, and recycling and then get sit in traffic with full size SUV's with one person in them. If you try to convince people to change their lifestyle you are sure to be met with anger and closed minds. Descartes would say that by being a role model for your cause you have a better chance of getting something that you want to do. Again, a lot less stressful.
Maxim 4: By getting a rewarding career, you can cultivate self-esteem and confidence, especially if you provide a valuable service to others. Many people get stuck in a career that they hate and that stress finds its way into every other aspect of their lives. In his travels Descartes found that having a good career can be very rewarding and essential to a fulfilling life. He mentioned nothing about money, but seemed to imply that money does not equal happiness.
After a critical analysis and evaluation of Descartes and his methods I would have to say that he was absolutely correct in his findings.
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2 comments:
but how do any of these maxims relate to the quest for knowledge?
by avoiding problems and reducing stress, one can be much more able to think freely about abstract concepts instead of focusing all or most of their energy on something they are not happy with(i.e. radicalism, social problems, a bad career, indecision, etc).
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