Descartes' Method and the Ideal of Universal Science

The Unique Method of Reason

The ideal of universal science rests on a unique method valid for all sciences. This method, based on the structure of reason, applies to all individuals and fields of knowledge. To understand this method, we must analyze reason itself. Descartes identifies two fundamental operations of reason: intuition and deduction.

Intuition and the Simple Natures

Intuition is the immediate and effortless grasp of a clear and distinct idea. These intuited objects are "simple natures" or "clear and distinct ideas," the foundation of all knowledge. Key examples are extension and thought, considered innate ideas—potentially present in the mind and revealed through experience.

Deduction and the Composite Natures

Deduction involves understanding something as a necessary consequence of known truths. We know "composite natures" through deduction, which is essentially a chain of intuitions. This process involves three procedures: ordering, deducing, and enumerating.

The Four Fundamental Rules of Descartes' Method

Descartes' method, closely tied to intuition and deduction, comprises four fundamental rules:

1. Rule of Evidence: Trust in reason is paramount, though it can be swayed by prejudices and passions. Accept only what is evident, specifically through clear and distinct intuitions. Truth becomes a property of ideas themselves, an "adequacy" of thought within the mind.
2. Rule of Analysis and Synthesis: This rule guides the process of achieving truth through clear and distinct ideas.
3. (Further rules regarding deduction would follow here)
4. (Further rules regarding deduction would follow here)