Q0056
“The things we conceive very clearly and very distinctly are all true.” — René Descartes (Discourse on the Method IV)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Discourse on the Method IV. Theme: truth.
English
The things we conceive very clearly and very distinctly are all true.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Discourse on the Method IV and files it under Rationalism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About René Descartes
René Descartes (1596–1650) was a French mathematician and philosopher who helped launch early modern rationalism. Educated by Jesuits, he traveled as a soldier and settled for long periods in the Dutch Republic.
How to read this passage
Correspondence, coherence, pragmatist, and deflationary theories compete. Ethics and politics ask who gets to define truth in public life. This passage enters that discussion through truth, reason.
Concepts in this quote
- Truth
- Truth is among philosophy’s oldest problems: what it is for a claim to be true, and how truth relates to belief, language, and power.
- Reason
- Reason is the capacity to give and assess reasons—central to logic, science, ethics, and public argument.
How to cite this quotation
APA: René Descartes. (n.d.). The things we conceive very clearly and very distinctly are all true. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0056
MLA: René Descartes. “The things we conceive very clearly and very….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0056.
Chicago: René Descartes. “The things we conceive very clearly and very….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0056.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “The things we conceive very clearly and very…”?
The passage is attributed to René Descartes, Discourse on the Method IV. The archive attributes this English wording to Discourse on the Method IV and files it under Rationalism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does René Descartes mean by truth?
Correspondence, coherence, pragmatist, and deflationary theories compete. Ethics and politics ask who gets to define truth in public life. This passage enters that discussion through truth, reason.