Discourse on the Method, published by René Descartes in 1637, is a foundational text of modern philosophy and science. In it Descartes describes his search for certain knowledge, his method of systematic doubt, and his famous conclusion “I think, therefore I am.” He proposes clear rules for reasoning and applies them to questions of mind, God, and the physical world.
Written in French rather than Latin to reach a wide audience, the Discourse helped launch the rationalist tradition and the scientific outlook of the seventeenth century. Its influence on philosophy and method has been immense. This free EPUB edition offers the complete English text for students of early modern thought.