Royal University of Phnom Penh Master of Education Topic: “Discourse on the Method” Lecturer : Mr. Sen Vicheth Presented by : Mr. Khleang Sovann February 06, 2010 Mr. Khleang Sovann 1 KSV@2010-rupp

What is “Discourse on the Method”? The Discourse on the Method is a philosophical and mathematical treatise published by René Descartes in 1637. Its full name is Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One's Reason and of Seeking Truth in the Sciences. Mr. Khleang Sovann 2 KSV@2010-rupp

Rene Descartes? Descartes was born in 1596, Indre-et-loire, France and died in 1650. He is a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. He is often called the father of modern philosophy. His most famous statement is ‘Je pense, donc je suis’( ‘I think, therefore I am’ ). To Descartes, the most best knowledge we have is what we know of ourselves. Mr. Khleang Sovann 3 KSV@2010-rupp

The “Discourse on the Method” Descartes developed four primary rules in the Discourse on the Method. Until today many thinkers respect these rules: - Never accept anything as true unless it is obviously true; - Divide a problem into as many parts as possible to make it easier to solve; - Arrange thoughts in a logically connected order form the simplest to the most complex; - Make conclusions complete and general. Mr. Khleang Sovann 4 KSV@2010-rupp

How the Discourse on the Method influence the world ? Making people in the 17th century, especially in Europe Countries, have positive thinking. There was a powerful, and positive changes in France (Renaissance Movement or the Age of Reason). Many philosophers have followed and learnt form Descartes (like Isaac Beeckman, Dutch philosopher). Mr. Khleang Sovann 5 KSV@2010-rupp