rationalism,
Rationalism - appealing to human reasoning as a means of gaining knowledge - has a philosophical history from ancient times. Although the view that rationalism was the primary source of knowledge did not dominate the Enlightenment, it provided an important basis for the discussions that developed in the 18th century. As the Enlightenment focused on reason as the primary source of power and legitimacy, many philosophers of the time were fascinated by earlier philosophical writings, especially the French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist Renడ Cortes (1596-1650). Descartes was the first of the modern rationalists. He felt that knowledge of eternal truths (including the truths of mathematics and the foundations of science) could only be obtained by reason, while knowledge of physics required world experience through the scientific method. He argues that reason alone determines knowledge and that it can do so regardless of the senses. For example, his famous proverb, cogito ergo sum, or "I think, therefore I am," is an ending to a priori (i.e., without any experience on the subject). What it means is to doubt oneself and one’s existence proves that there is an “I” to be considered.
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