Six metaphysical meditations · René Descartes
MEDITAT. III.
Of all which forementioned things there is nothing that is not _evident_ by the _light_ of _reason_ to any one that will diligently consider them. Yet because that (when I am careless, and the _Images_ of _sensible_ things _blind_ my _understanding_) I do not so easily call to mind the reasons, why the _Idea_ of a _being more perfect_ then _my self_ should of necessity proceed from a _being_ which is _really more perfect_; It will be requisite to enquire further, whether _I_, who have this _Idea_, can possibly _be_, unless _such_ a _being_ did _exist_. To which end let me aske, _from whence_ should I _be_? From _my self_? or from my _Parents_? or from any other thing _less perfect_ then _God_? for nothing can be thought or supposed _more perfect_, or _equally perfect_ with _God_.
But first, If _I_ were from my self, I should neither _doubt_, nor _desire_, nor _want_ any thing, for I should have given my self all those _perfections_, of which I have any _Idea_, and consequently I my self should be _God_; and I cannot think that those things I _want_, are to be acquired with _greater difficulty_ then those things I _have_; but on the contrary, ’tis manifest, that it were much more _difficult_ that _I_ (that is, _a substance_ that _thinks_) should _arise_ out of _nothing_, then that I should _acquire_ the _knowledge_ of many things whereof I am _Ignorant_, which is only the _accident_ of that _substance_. And certainly if I had that _greater thing_ (viz _being_) from my self, I should not have _denyed_ my self (not only, those things which may be easier acquired, but also) All those things, which I perceived are contain’d in the _Idea_ of a _God_; and the reason is, for that no other things _seem_ to me to be _more difficultly_ done, and certainly if they were _Really more difficult_, they would _seem_ more _difficult_ to me (if whatever _I have_, I _have_ from my self) for in those things I should find my _Power_ put to a stop.
Neither can I Evade the force of these Arguments by supposing my self to _have alwaies Been, what now I am_, and that therefore I need not seek for an _Author_ of my _Being_. For the _Duration_ or _Continuance_ of my life may be _divided_ into _Innumerable Parts_, each of which does not at all _depend_ on the _Other Parts_; Therefore it will not follow, that because _a while ago, I was_, I must of necessity _now Be_. I say, this will not follow, Unless, I suppose some _Cause_ to _Create me_ (as it were) _anew_ for _this_ Moment (that is, _Conserve me_). For ’tis evident to one that Considers the Nature of _Duration_, that the same _Power_ and _Action_ is requisite to the _Conservation_ of a Thing each _Moment_ of its _Being_, as there is to the _Creation_ of that Thing _anew_, if it did _not exist_. So that ’tis one of those _Principles_ which are _Evident_ by the _Light_ of _Nature_: that the _Act_ of _Conservation_ differs only _Ratione_ (as the Philosophers term it) from the _Act of Creation_. Wherefore I ought to ask my self this Question, whether _I_, who _now_ Am; have any _Power_ to _Cause_ my self to _Be hereafter_? (for had I any such _power_, I should certainly _know_ of it, seeing I am nothing but a _Thinking Thing_, or at least at present I onely treat of that part of me, which is a _Thing_ that _Thinks_) to which, I answer, that I can discover no such _Power_ in Me; And consequently, I evidently know that _I depend_ on some _Other being distinct_ from _my self_.
But what if _I_ say that perhaps this _Being_ is not _God_, but that _I_ am produced either by my _Parents_, or some other _Causes less perfect_ then _God_? In answer to which let me consider (as _I_ have said before) that ’tis _manifest_ that whatever is in the _effect, so much_ at least ought to be in the _cause_; and therefore seeing _I_ am a thing that _thinks_, and have in me an _Idea_ of _God_, it will confessedly follow, that whatever sort of _cause_ I assign of my _own Being_, it also must be a _Thinking Thing_, and must have an _Idea_ of all those _Perfections_, which I attribute to _God_; Of which _Cause_ it may be again Asked, whether it be _from it self_, or from any other _Cause_? If _from it self_, ’tis evident (from what has been said) that it must be _God_; For seeing it has the _Power_ of _Existing of it self_, without doubt it has also the _power_ of _actually Possessing_ all those _Perfections_ whereof it has an _Idea_ in it self, that is, all those _Perfections_ which I conceive in _God_. But if it Be from an _other Cause_, it may again be asked of that _Cause_ whether it be _of it self_, or from an _other_; Till at length We arrive at the _Last Cause_ of All, Which will Be _God_. For ’tis evident, that this _Enquiry_ will not admit of _Progressus in Infinitum_, especially when at Present I treat not only of that Cause which at _first made_ Me; But chiefly of that which _conserves_ me in this _Instant_ time.
Neither can it be supposed that many _partial Causes_ have _concurred_ to the making Me, and that I received the _Idea_ of one of _Gods perfections_ from _One_ of them, and from an _other_ of them the _Idea_ of an _other_; and that therefore all these Perfections are to be found _scattered_ in the World, but not all of them _Joyn’d_ in any one which may Be _God_. For on the contrary, _Unity_, _Simplicity_, or the _inseparability_ of All Gods Attributes is one of the _chief Perfections_ which I conceive in Him; and certainly the _Idea_ of the _Unity_ of the _Divine Perfections_ could not be _created_ in me by any other _cause_, then by _That_, from whence I have received the _Ideas_ of his other _perfections_; For ’tis Impossible to make me conceive these _perfections_, _conjunct_ and _inseparable_, unless he should also make me know what _perfections_ these _are_. Lastly as touching my _having_ my _Being_ from my _Parents_. Tho whatever Thoughts I have heretofore harbour’d of Them were _True_, yet certainly they _contribute_ nothing to my _conservation_, neither proceed I from them as _I am_ a _Thing_ that _Thinks_, for they have onely _predisposed_ that _material Thing_, wherein _I_, that is, _my mind_ (_which_ only at present I take for _my self_) _Inhabits_. Wherefore I cannot _now_ Question that I am sprung from them. But I must of necessity conclude that because _I am_, and because I have an _Idea_ of a _Being most perfect_, that is, of _God_, it evidently follows that _there is a God_.
By which ’tis evident that _God_ is no _Deceiver_; for ’tis manifest by the _Light_ of _Nature_, that all _fraud_ and _deceit_ depends on some _defect_. But before I prosecute this any farther, or pry into other _Truthes_ which may be deduced from this, I am willing here to stop, and dwell upon the Contemplation of this _God_, to Consider with my self His _Divine Attributes_, to behold, admire, and adore the Loveliness of this _Immense light_, as much as possibly I am able to accomplish with my _dark_ Understanding. For as by _Faith_ we _believe_ that the greatest _happiness_ of the _next Life_ consists alone in the _Contemplation_ of the _Divine Majesty_, so we _find_ by _Experience_ that now we receive from thence the greatest _pleasure_, whereof we are capable in _this Life_; Tho it be much more _Imperfect_ then that in the _Next_.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.