a discourse on method-第5部分

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ything　which　I　could　not　obtain；　and　thus　render　me　contented；　for　since　our　will　naturally　seeks　those　objects　alone　which　the　understanding　represents　as　in　some　way　possible　of　attainment；　it　is　plain；　that　if　we　consider　all　external　goods　as　equally　beyond　our　power；　we　shall　no　more　regret　the　absence　of　such　goods　as　seem　due　to　our　birth；　when　deprived　of　them　without　any　fault　of　ours；　　than　our　not　possessing　the　kingdoms　of　China　or　Mexico；　and　thus　making；　so　to　speak；　a　virtue　of　necessity；　we　shall　no　more　desire　health　in　disease；　or　freedom　in　imprisonment；　than　we　now　do　bodies　incorruptible　as　diamonds；　or　the　wings　of　birds　to　fly　with。　　But　I　confess　there　is　need　of　prolonged　discipline　and　frequently　repeated　meditation　to　accustom　the　mind　to　view　all　objects　in　this　light；　and　I　believe　that　in　this　chiefly　consisted　the　secret　of　the　power　of　such　philosophers　as　in　former　times　were　enabled　to　rise　superior　to　the　influence　of　fortune；　and；　amid　suffering　and　poverty；　enjoy　a　happiness　which　their　gods　might　have　envied。　　For；　occupied　incessantly　with　the　consideration　of　the　limits　prescribed　to　their　power　by　nature；　they　became　so　entirely　convinced　that　nothing　was　at　their　disposal　except　their　own　thoughts；　that　this　conviction　was　of　itself　sufficient　to　prevent　their　entertaining　any　desire　of　other　objects；　and　over　their　thoughts　they　acquired　a　sway　so　absolute；　that　they　had　some　ground　on　this　account　for　esteeming　themselves　more　rich　and　more　powerful；　more　free　and　more　happy；　than　other　men　who；　whatever　be　the　favors　heaped　on　them　by　nature　and　fortune；　if　destitute　of　this　philosophy；　can　never　command　the　realization　of　all　their　desires。

In　fine；　to　conclude　this　code　of　morals；　I　thought　of　reviewing　the　different　occupations　of　men　in　this　life；　with　the　view　of　making　choice　of　the　best。　　And；　without　wishing　to　offer　any　remarks　on　the　employments　of　others；　I　may　state　that　it　was　my　conviction　that　I　could　not　do　better　than　continue　in　that　in　which　I　was　engaged；　viz。；　in　devoting　my　whole　life　to　the　culture　of　my　reason；　and　in　making　the　greatest　progress　I　was　able　in　the　knowledge　of　truth；　on　the　principles　of　the　method　which　I　had　prescribed　to　myself。　　This　method；　from　the　time　I　had　begun　to　apply　it；　had　been　to　me　the　source　of　satisfaction　so　intense　as　to　lead　me　to；　believe　that　more　perfect　or　more　innocent　could　not　be　enjoyed　in　this　life；　and　as　by　its　means　I　daily　discovered　truths　that　appeared　to　me　of　some　importance；　and　of　which　other　men　were　generally　ignorant；　the　gratification　thence　arising　so　occupied　my　mind　that　I　was　wholly　indifferent　to　every　other　object。　　Besides；　the　three　preceding　maxims　were　founded　singly　on　the　design　of　continuing　the　work　of　self…　instruction。　　For　since　God　has　endowed　each　of　us　with　some　light　of　reason　by　which　to　distinguish　truth　from　error；　I　could　not　have　believed　that　I　ought　for　a　single　moment　to　rest　satisfied　with　the　opinions　of　another；　unless　I　had　resolved　to　exercise　my　own　judgment　in　examining　these　whenever　I　should　be　duly　qualified　for　the　task。　　Nor　could　I　have　proceeded　on　such　opinions　without　scruple；　had　I　supposed　that　I　should　thereby　forfeit　any　advantage　for　attaining　still　more　accurate；　should　such　exist。　　And；　in　fine；　I　could　not　have　restrained　my　desires；　nor　remained　satisfied　had　I　not　followed　a　path　in　which　I　thought　myself　certain　of　attaining　all　the　knowledge　to　the　acquisition　of　which　I　was　competent；　as　well　as　the　largest　amount　of　what　is　truly　good　which　I　could　ever　hope　to　secure　Inasmuch　as　we　neither　seek　nor　shun　any　object　except　in　so　far　as　our　understanding　represents　it　as　good　or　bad；　all　that　is　necessary　to　right　action　is　right　judgment；　and　to　the　best　action　the　most　correct　judgment；　that　is；　to　the　acquisition　of　all　the　virtues　with　all　else　that　is　truly　valuable　and　within　our　reach；　and　the　assurance　of　such　an　acquisition　cannot　fail　to　render　us　contented。

Having　thus　provided　myself　with　these　maxims；　and　having　placed　them　in　reserve　along　with　the　truths　of　　faith；　which　have　ever　occupied　the　first　place　in　my　　belief；　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　I　might　with　freedom　set　about　ridding　myself　of　what　remained　of　my　opinions。　　And；　inasmuch　as　I　hoped　to　be　better　able　successfully　to　accomplish　this　work　by　holding　intercourse　with　mankind；　than　by　remaining　longer　shut　up　in　the　retirement　where　these　thoughts　had　occurred　to　me；　I　betook　me　again　to　traveling　before　the　winter　was　well　ended。　　And；　during　the　nine　subsequent　years；　I　did　nothing　but　roam　from　one　place　to　another；　desirous　of　being　a　　spectator　rather　than　an　actor　in　the　plays　exhibited　on　the　theater　of　the　world；　and；　as　I　made　it　my　business　in　each　matter　to　reflect　particularly　upon　what　might　fairly　be　doubted　and　prove　a　source　of　error；　I　gradually　rooted　out　from　my　mind　all　the　errors　which　had　hitherto　crept　into　it。　　Not　that　in　this　I　imitated　the　sceptics　who　doubt　only　that　they　may　doubt；　and　seek　nothing　beyond　uncertainty　itself；　for；　on　the　contrary；　my　design　　was　singly　to　find　ground　of　assurance；　and　cast　aside　the　　loose　earth　and　sand；　that　I　might　reach　the　rock　or　the　clay。　　In　this；　as　appears　to　me；　I　was　successful　enough；　for；　since　I　endeavored　to　discover　the　falsehood　or　incertitude　of　the　propositions　I　examined；　not　by　feeble　conjectures；　but　by　clear　and　certain　reasonings；　I　met　with　nothing　so　doubtful　as　not　to　yield　some　conclusion　of　adequate　certainty；　although　this　were　merely　the　inference；　that　the　matter　in　question　contained　nothing　certain。　　And；　just　as　in　pulling　down　an　old　house；　we　usually　reserve　the　ruins　to　contribute　towards　the　erection；　so；　in　destroying　such　of　my　opinions　as　I　judged　to　be　Ill…founded；　I　made　a　variety　of　observations　and　acquired　an　amount　of　experience　of　which　I　availed　myself　in　the　establishment　of　more　certain。　And　further；　I　continued　to　exercise　myself　in　the　method　I　had　prescribed；　for；　besides　taking　care　in　general　to　conduct　all　my　thoughts　according　to　its　rules；　I　reserved　some　hours　from　time　to　time　which　I　expressly　devoted　to　the　employment　of　the　method　in　the　solution　of　mathematical　difficulties；　or　even　in　the　solution　likewise　of　some　questions　belonging　to　other　sciences；　but　which；　by　my　having　detached　them　from　such　principles　of　these　sciences　as　were　of　inadequate　certainty；　were　rendered　almost　mathematical：　　the　truth　of　this　will　be　manifest　from　the　numerous　examples　contained　in　this　volume。　　And　thus；　without　in　appearance　living　otherwise　than　those　who；　with　no　other　occupation　than　that　of　spending　their　lives　agreeably　and　innocently；　study　to　sever　pleasure　from　vice；　and　who；　that　they　may　enjoy　their　leisure　without　ennui；　have　recourse　to　such　pursuits　as　are　honorable；　I　was　nevertheless　prosecuting　my　design；　and　making　greater　progress　in　the　knowledge　of　truth；　than　I　might；　perhaps；　have　made　had　I　been　engaged　in　the　perusal　of　books　merely；　or　in　holding　converse　with　men　of　letters。

These　nine　years　passed　away；　however；　before　I　had　come　to　any　determinate　judgment　respecting　the　difficulties　which　form　matter　of　dispute　among　the　learned；　or　had　commenced　to　seek　the　principles　of　any　philosophy　more　certain　than　the　vulgar。　　And　the　examples　of　many　men　of　the　highest　genius；　who　had；　in　former　times；　engaged　in　this　inquiry；　but；　as　appeared　to　me；　without　success；　led　me　to　imagine　it　to　be　a　work　of　so　much　difficulty；　that　I　would　not　perhaps　have　ventured　on　it　so　soon　had　I　not　heard　it　currently　　rumored　that　I　had　already　completed　the　inquiry。　　I　know　not　what　were　the　grounds　of　this　opinion；　and；　if　my　conversation　contributed　in　any　measure　to　its　rise；　this　must　have　happened　rather　from　my　having　confessed　my　Ignorance　with　greater　freedom　than　those　are　accustomed　to　do　who　have　studied　a　little；　and　expounded　perhaps；　the　reasons　that　led　me　to　doubt　of　many　of　those　things　that　by　others　are　esteemed　certain；　than　from　my　having　boasted　of　any　system　of　philosophy。　　But；　as　I　am　of　a　disposition　that　makes　me　unwilling　to　be　esteemed　different　from　what　I　really　am；　I　thought　it　necessary　to　endeavor　by　all　means　to　render　myself　worthy　of　the　reputation　accorded　to　me；　and　it　is　now　exactly　eight　years　since　this　desire　constrained　me　to　remove　from　all　those　places　where　interruption　from　any　of　my　acquaintances　was　possible；　and　betake　myself　to　this　country；　in　which　the　long　duration　of　the　war　has　led　to　the　establishment　of　such　discipline；　that　the　armies　maintained　seem　to　be　of　use　only　in　enabling　the　inhabitants　to　enjoy　more　securely　the　blessings　of　peace　and　where；　in　the　midst　of　a　great　crowd　actively　engaged　in　business；　and　more　careful　of　their　own　affairs　than　curious　about　those　of　others；　I　have　been　enabled　to　live　without　being　deprived　of　any　of　the　conveniences　to　be　had　in　the　most　populous　cities；　and　yet　as　solitary　and　as　retired　as　in　the　midst　of　the　most　remote　deserts。



PART　IV

I　am　in　doubt　as　to　the　propriety　of　making　my　first　meditations　in　the　place　above　mentioned　matter　of　discourse；　for　these　are　so　metaphysical；　and　so　uncommon；　as　not；　perhaps；　to　be　acceptable　to　every　one。　　And　yet；　that　it　may　be　determined　whether　the　foundations　that　I　have　laid　are　sufficiently　secure；　I　find　myself　in　a　measure　constrained　to　advert　to　them。　　I　had　long　before　remarked　that；　in　relation　to　practice；　it　is　sometimes　necessary　to　adopt；　as　if　above　doubt；　opinions　which　we　discern　to　be　highly　uncertain；　as　has　been　already　said；　but　as　I　then　desired　to　give　my　attention　solely　to　the　search　after　truth；　I　thought　that　a　procedure　exactly　the　opposite　was　called　for；　and　that　I　ought　to　reject　as　absolutely　false　all　opinions　in　regard　to　which　I　could　suppose　the　least　ground　for　doubt；　in　order　to　ascertain　whether　after　that　there　remained　aught　in　my　belief　that　was　wholly　indubitable。　　Accordingly；　seeing　that　our　senses　sometimes　deceive　us；　I　was　willing　to　suppose　that　there　existed　nothing　really　such　as　they　presented　to　us；　and　because　some　men　err　in　reasoning；　and　fall　into　paralogisms；　even　on　the　simplest　matters　of　geometry；　I；　convinced　that　I　was　as　open