Q0329
“Good sense is the best distributed thing in the world.” — René Descartes (Discourse on the Method I)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Discourse on the Method I. Theme: equality.
English
Good sense is the best distributed thing in the world.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Discourse on the Method I 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
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Mary Wollstonecraft and John Locke), equality is framed through Feminist Philosophy and British Empiricism. Some passages define equality; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through equality, reason.
Concepts in this quote
- Equality
- Equality appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat equality as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- 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.). Good sense is the best distributed thing in the world. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0329
MLA: René Descartes. “Good sense is the best distributed thing in….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0329.
Chicago: René Descartes. “Good sense is the best distributed thing in….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0329.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Good sense is the best distributed thing in…”?
The passage is attributed to René Descartes, Discourse on the Method I. The archive attributes this English wording to Discourse on the Method I 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 equality?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Mary Wollstonecraft and John Locke), equality is framed through Feminist Philosophy and British Empiricism. Some passages define equality; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through equality, reason.