The Enduring Influence of Rene Descartes on Educational Philosophy

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of Rene Descartes' influential ideas on education. It explores his skepticism, analytic geometry, and theory of learning, highlighting their impact on teaching and learning practices. The essay examines Descartes' arguments, including the Cogito argument, and how they shaped his views on the role of teachers and students. It discusses his emphasis on independent thinking, questioning established knowledge, and the importance of a student-centered learning environment. Furthermore, the essay analyzes how Descartes' ideas contributed to the transformation of educational institutions and their methodologies, emphasizing the practical dimension of his work and his efforts to reform academic institutes. The essay also addresses the practical applications of his philosophical views and how they continue to influence modern educational practices, including the integration of scientific and mathematical fields and the promotion of critical thinking and discovery learning. The conclusion summarizes Descartes' lasting legacy, underscoring his contributions to shaping contemporary approaches to schooling, teaching, and learning.

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Rene Descartes Ideas on Education
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Rene Descartes Ideas on Education
Descartes is known as the “Father of modern philosophy” as he spent his life engrossed
in the arduous research of all things mathematical and metaphysical. According to him, for
anyone to acquire skills and knowledge, he or she must be willing to learn the material to learn it.
He further supports this belief by stating that a novice is his or her own educator. In addition to
what he includes in his “Methods of Discourse” Descartes believed that people should distrust
theoretical truths. As a result, if one can distinguish whether a view is unpretentious or not, then
he or she can precisely learn what is essential. Therefore, according to Descartes’ philosophy, the
objective of education would be for a person not to accept what he read or heard without
comprehensively questioning everything. Notably, he does not suggest that everyone desires to
learn this way, but instead, it is the right path that will assist them in gaining the knowledge they
require. With this in mind, Descartes puts more stress on the sciences than compared to arts
because both learning and arts are pointless, unless something tangible can be achieved.
Rene Descartes’ Impact on Education at His Time
The catastrophe of the 17th century in scholastic institutes was due to the neurosis of
higher learning institutes to its logical setting. Besides, the “New Science” and the catastrophe
witnessed lead to the spuriousness of Scholasticism, mainly because of the lack of applied
repercussions that it exhibited. In reply to this challenge, at least various distinct feedbacks
emerged as they tried to reform educational institutions. Unfortunately, the new methodical
academies struggled with institutes in their cerebral pre-prominence, countenancing broader free
will in the area of research.

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In this context, Descartes shared the necessity of reformation in the academic institutes
stating that the ordinary ideas taught in schools and higher learning institutions are by contrast a
set of sentiments that are mostly doubtful as demonstrated by the incessant debates. He further
suggests that they are quite useless because most people do not derive any benefits from
substantial forms, or occult qualities. Thus, he suggests that it is illogical for those who have
learned such ideas, which they question, to denounce others who are exasperating to uncover
more certain ones.
Descartes’ efforts for a rectification concealed a broad continuum of stuffing taught in
institutions. These included philosophical books, textbooks, and scientific treatises. Importantly,
he understood that the possession of a better scientific and philosophical structure was not
sufficient to assure its success. Hence, the scholastic institutes were not instructed to obtain truth,
but to safeguard Christianity. Due to this fact, Descartes had to create some rhetorical tactics,
such as using a conventional writing style, or the reiterated abjuration of the novelty of his idea
to replace furtive Scholasticism. Therefore, he tried to introduce a new approach that would
make the renovation of academic institutions possible.
To understand Descartes’ interest in the renovation of these institutes, one must
acknowledge that the practical dimension was significant to him. Thus, the axis of the Descartes
project is centered on the intercession around the globe. Just like his purpose was with the
Dioptrics, the reformation of academic institutions was to demonstration that anyone can make
ample progress in thinking, such that he or she can get acquainted to the arts that are
advantageous for life (Sergio, 2017). Therefore, Descartes’ efforts for restitution of schooling
were not a sheer innovation, but instead exemplified the last stage for institutionalizing a
Cartesian invention that assured the renovation of realism. Although he failed to substitute

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Scholasticism in academic institutes, the introduction of Cartesianism resulted in its propagation
and subsequent impact.
Overview of Rene Descartes’ Ideas on Education and Their Impact
The Cogito Argument
Descartes was a great exponent of cynicism. He believed that people ought not to accept
any notion that was not based on concrete proof, and only reasons from doctrines that people are
certain of. Due to this fact, he mentioned that learners should be skeptical of what their teachers
say. Notably, the latter had some personal familiarity with hallucinations, which made him
question the things people see or hear. According to Descartes, utter rationality meant that people
had to take such possibilities seriously, and they had to discover concrete grounds for their
perceptive.
After years of deep thought, he suggested one norm that could not be mistrusted. That is,
everyone thinks, and no cynic can ever dispute. Thus, the act of mistrusting personal opinions is
an act of things. This understanding leads to his second principle that suggests that if one thinks,
then he or she must exist, and that a non-existent non-human cannot think. Based on this fact,
Descartes concluded that thinkers are real. Once he got a shred of substantial evidence for his
existence, the former felt he had a firm ground for creating other metaphysical ideas about
education (Philosophy Terms, n.d.). Therefore, his idea of skepticism enabled learners to be
doubtful of what they are told by their teachers, until they get credible evidence supporting what
they have seen or heard. Notably, these concrete proof can only be obtained if the latter carries
out proper research.
Analytic Geometry

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It is challenging to envisage math and science without the perception of an “x-axis” and a
“y-axis.” Thus, every scatter plot one has ever seen, every line graph indicating variations in the
stock marketplace, and every “bell curve and parabola” come back to the “Cartesian coordinate
system.” Consequently, Descartes revealed that “algebraic variables (such as x and y)” could be
indicated as points along a “number line.” Hence, any two variables can be demarcated in
connection to one another using a “two-dimensional plot.” Importantly, this was the most radical
mathematical philosophy since the innovation of zero. It broadened the prospects for physics,
such that Newton could intricate on the “Cartesian system” with the innovation of calculus.
Currently, Descartes’s philosophy acts as a cornerstone of all-natural and social science, which
has boosted learners’ understanding of geometry.
This Descartes’ idea has positively impacted how teachers acquire their schooling, and
teaching skills as each of them understand the need to study mathematics from various
perspectives. For instance, a pedagogy understands the importance of drawing skills, such that
they can sketch figures and label specific points accurately, as they understand the importance of
the x and y-axis.
Theory of Learning
According to the former, learning is an individual quest comprising external worldly
familiarity, and internal thoughts. Importantly, Descartes decided to leave his formal Jesuit
education, and pursued active duty. He felt that the humans he was mastering were rather barren
of human importance, and not the sort of learning that would enable humans to manage their
environment and direct their destiny (Masci & Saks, 2014). From this approach, learning that
takes place in an educational setting alone may not be enough for a person to survive and thrive
in life. According to him, every scientific truth can be learned through the application of a form

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of questioning that is tantamount with the scientific method. This approach of inquiry had
multiple phases and started with doubting a supposed assertion and minimizing it into smaller,
but more fundamental questions. Once the most critical question is determined, Descartes
mentions that relying on the mind’s intuition provides an insight into this matter, as it is aided by
basic scientific and mathematical reasoning.
Descartes’ idea has positively impacted how teachers pass knowledge to their students, as
they understand their role in instilling independent thinking in scholars. Conversely, the theory
teaches a teacher not to prejudice the personality of each learner. Due to this fact, teachers must
educate learners on the importance of creativity, irrespective of their intellectual levels. As a
result, novices can succeed in life as they have a better understanding of their abilities, and they
do not need to rely on the basics taught in class.
Theory of Transmission
According to Descartes, each person is accountable for searching the hypothetical truths
of the world. Thus, each of them is his or her teacher. Since he claimed to have learned more
from his morning reflection than from the formal classroom teaching, Descartes favored a
student-centered schooling environment, where each scholar engages in real-life acts, and learns
to tackle each situation as a scientist would. Besides, he suggested that class times must be
flexible such that novices can set their schedules, and class actions must be centered on
discovery learning. In terms of curriculum, Descartes suggests that scientific and mathematical
fields of study must be based on the liberal arts of education. This Descartes’ theory had
positively influenced teaching and learning in modern schools such that most institutions are
focused on providing student-centered learning, as it enables them to develop their intellectual
skills.

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Conclusion
Descartes’ philosophy has played a central role in transforming the current schooling,
teaching, and learning practices. Notably, he shared his thoughts on the importance of reforming
academic institutions in the 17th century, as he understood that the possession of a better
ideological and scientific system was not sufficient to assure academic success. Alternatively,
Descartes’ provides various ideas that outline his thoughts regarding learning and teaching. For
instance, his reflections on skepticism enabled scholars to be doubtful of what they are told by
their pedagogies, until they have concrete proof supporting what they have heard or seen.

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References
Masci, M., & Saks, S. (2014). The educational theory of Rene Descartes. New Foundations.
Retrieved from https://www.newfoundations.com/GALLERY/DesCartes.html
Philosophy Terms. (n.d.). Rene Descartes. Philosophy Terms. Retrieved from
https://philosophyterms.com/rene-descartes/
Sergio, G. (2017). Descartes on Education: The Cartesian reformation of the seventeenth-century
institutionalized knowledge. Societate si politica, 11(1), 44-65.