By the way; did you also know that the fabled and mysterious Philosopher's Stone is not so valuable or well-hidden as is commonly supposed? It's true! In fact, it's closer than you might like. And if it is anywhere near you, then you'll be needing a little Preparation-H to clear it right up. This is what comes from sitting around on cold rocks all day, thinking about life, the universe, and everything!

 

The Land of Rene.

 Did you know that Amenca (including Canada, of course) speaks and writes and thinks in English (except Quebec), but is actually French in heart and mind? Yes, America can justly be called 'the Land of Rene ("I think, therefore I am") Descartes'. This is because the precepts and insights of this French philosopher, although universally unknown and otherwise ignored, are better expressed here than anywhere else in space-time: "Everyone shuts himself tightly up within himself and insists upon judging the world from there" (Alexis de Tocqueville; from 'Democracy in America').

 The idea of the overworked notion of The 'Priority of the Idea' is largely correct; but in R.Descartes the priority of the idea rests secure. His influence on subsequent thinkers was so profound, not only because his philosophy of radical doubt was timely (and fundamental to the development of science, btw), but mostly because he articulated his meditations in a clear, crisp and precise prose! Now this was nothing less than a major revolution in human thinking and reasoning; and many philosophers have since tried (and mostly failed) to speak/reason as clearly and intelligibly as friend Rene. Indeed, it is Descartes' lucid language that paved the way for modern philosophy long after his specific ideas had been surpassed. And if you still can't appreciate the magnitude of his achievement, perhaps you could reflect on the fact that there is no creature in heaven or on earth that is more fundamentally honest and straight-forward than a philosopher who loves his work!.

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