V02-14

Question

Rene Descartes, a 16th century Frenchman often regarded as one of the founders of modern philosophy, penned one of its most famous slogans: “I think, therefore I am.” This statement was the conclusion to an approach of systematic doubt, the goal of which was to arrive at a new foundation for knowledge. He might have been able to doubt all the evidence of his senses, Descartes reasoned, but he could not doubt the proposition that he himself existed to do the doubting. His statement might almost be rephrased as: “I doubt, therefore I am.” Yet despite the fact that philosophers since the early 19th century have made heavy use of this conclusion, Descartes in his own day was most influential as a scientist, not a philosopher.

Throughout 16th century Europe, for example, Descartes was well known for his work in physics, geometry, and physiology, and modern scholars still consider him one of the precursors of the scientific revolution. His attempts to use algebra to solve problems of space and motion essentially created the field of analytic geometry, upon which modern applied mathematics is still largely based. Descartes discovered the law of refraction, which explains why straight objects appear bent when immersed partly in water, and was one of the first to theorize that the workings of human bodies can be studied in similar fashion to the workings of machines. Even his “Discourse on Method,” which contained the famous philosophical statement, was intended merely as the framework within which a collection of essays on optics, meteorology, and geometry was to be understood.

Information from the passage suggests that the author would most likely regard which of the following statements as INCORRECT?

A.  Descartes’ contributions to the field of mathematics have largely been superseded.
 B.  Descartes’ work has greatly influenced philosophers since the early 19th century.
 C.  Descartes was not as famous for his quote as for his scientific works when he lived.
 D.  Descartes took a rational approach to the search for a new foundation of knowledge.
 E.  Descartes intended his scientific work and his philosophical work to be closely interrelated.

Tetianaa · Answer

Explanation

A. Correct Answer.  The passage highlights Descartes' significant contributions to fields such as physics, geometry, and physiology, specifically noting that his work in analytic geometry still forms the basis for modern applied mathematics. This implies that his mathematical contributions have not been superseded, but are still highly relevant. Thus, A is the statement most likely regarded as incorrect by the author.

B. Incorrect.  The passage mentions that philosophers since the early 19th century have made heavy use of Descartes' famous conclusion, so this statement can be regarded as a correct statement but incorrect answer choice.

C. Incorrect.  The passage states that Descartes was most influential as a scientist, not as a philosopher, during his lifetime, so this statement is also a correct statement but incorrect answer choice.

D. Incorrect.  The passage explains Descartes' method of systematic doubt to arrive at new knowledge, indicating a rational approach, so this is also a correct statement but incorrect answer choice.

E. Incorrect.  The passage mentions that Descartes' philosophical statement was part of the framework for understanding his scientific essays, indicating an intended relationship between the two fields. This makes the statement correct but incorrect answer choice.

The correct answer is A

V02-14

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