DISCOURSE ON THE METHOD

17

...that there might perhaps be people as sensible among the Persians or the Chinese Descartes uses these examples to show that wisdom is not exclusive to Europe, promoting a more universal view of reason. as among ourselves, it seemed to me that the most useful course was to govern myself according to those with whom I would have to live; and that, to know what their opinions truly were, I should pay more attention to what they practiced than to what they said; not only because, given the corruption of our morals original: "mœurs," referring to the social habits and ethical standards of the time., there are few people who are willing to say everything they believe, but also because many do not know it themselves: for the act of thought by which one believes a thing is different from the act by which one knows that one believes it, and they often occur without each other.

And, among several equally accepted opinions, I chose only the most moderate, both because these are always the most convenient for practice and likely the best—excess usually being bad—and also so that I would stray less from the true path, should I fail, than if I had chosen one of the extremes when it was the other I should have followed. And specifically, I counted among the excesses all those promises by which one surrenders some part of one's freedom; not that I disapproved of the laws which, to remedy the inconstancy of weak minds, allow one to make vows X or contracts that compel perseverance when one has a good purpose (or even, for the security of commerce, a purpose that is merely indifferent). But, because I saw nothing in the world that remained always in refuge to the? the same state, and because, for my own part, I promised myself to improve my judgments more and more, and not at all to make them worse, I would have thought I was committing a great sin against common sense if, because I approved of something then, I had obliged myself to take it as good later on, when it might perhaps have ceased to be so, or I had ceased to regard it as such.
stylized mark?
word?

My second maxim was to be as firm and resolute in my actions as I could, and to follow even the most doubtful opinions, once I had decided on them, no less constantly than if they had been very certain. In this, I imitated travelers who, finding themselves lost in a forest, must not wander about, turning now this way, now that, and even less stop in one place, but must always walk as straight as they can in one direction and not change it for slight reasons, even if it was perhaps only chance that initially led them to choose it. For by this means, if they do not go exactly where they wish, they will at least arrive eventually somewhere where they will likely be better off than in the middle Descartes's famous "forest analogy" argues that in practical life, making a firm decision—even on uncertain grounds—is better than remaining paralyzed by doubt.