It was immediately obvious to me
(first year at University)
that the statement by the odious Descartes
Cogito, ergo sum (I think, therefore I am)
was simply stupid.
The only conclusion from Cogito...
is that something thinks or thinks its thinks
for, through or in me.
It might be me, but on the other hand it could be God
or Satan or Vladimir Putin,
a machine, a distant star - or you.
Sentio, ergo sum ?
The pseudo-philosophy based on
'the Cogito'
was such patent nonsense
that I gave up on philosophy.
I decided that it wasn't serious.
Thinking is just a consequence
or maybe a small part of feeling.
Incredible cruelty resulted from Descartes' assertion
that other animals have no feeling
- a belief still widely held in France.
Sentio ergo est ?
I certainly cannot claim that there's an 'I' in me,
not even inside my pants.
No comments:
Post a Comment