Rene Descartes

Rationalism

Philosophical view that problem-solving is through reason rather than faith, inspiration, or revelation, and knowledge can be derived from a priori concepts.

Empiricism

Philosophical view that the most reliable source of human knowledge is experience, particularly through observation and experimentation.

Axiom

A statement accepted as true based on evidence and reasoning, forming the basis for deriving theorems.

A priori

Knowledge derived by reasoning from self-evident propositions.

A posteriori

Knowledge derived by reasoning from observed facts.

Substance Dualism

Descartes' concept in Modern Philosophy, dividing existence into Mental Substance and Material Substance.

Method of Radical Doubt

Descartes' approach of doubting all sensory information to establish certain knowledge, leading to the famous dictum "I think therefore I am."

Meditations

Rene Descartes' seminal treatise raising questions about the self, the existence of God, and the nature of truth, aiming for an intellectual revolution.

Hylomorphism

Aristotelian concept that every physical object is a compound of matter (Hyle) and form (Morphe), including substantial and accidental forms.

Mind-Body Problem

Formulated by Descartes, it questions the relationship between mental states and physical states, introducing the idea of an immaterial mind in a material world.