Q0443
“to change my desires rather than the order of the world” — René Descartes (Discourse on the Method, Part III)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Discourse on the Method, Part III. Theme: desire.
English
to change my desires rather than the order of the world
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Discourse on the Method, Part III 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.
Interpretation
Descartes describes this in the Discourse as part of his provisional moral code. The reasoning is that most of what troubles us lies outside our control, so attempting to reorder the world is exhausting and futile; what is within reach is our own wanting. This is not resignation but a strategy for preserving effectiveness — he compares those who try to change the world to travellers who would reform the state.
Why it matters
It is a sorting rule: divide what is happening into what you can move and what you can only respond to, and spend accordingly.
Concepts in this quote
- Desire
- Desire drives action and suffering alike; philosophy asks which desires to educate, restrain, or affirm.
- Self
- Philosophy quotes about self explore identity, responsibility, and the examined life—from Socrates’ unexamined life to modern phenomenology and existential authenticity.
- Wisdom
- Wisdom is practical insight under uncertainty: knowing what matters, what one does not know, and how to act without false certainty.
How to cite this quotation
APA: René Descartes. (n.d.). to change my desires rather than the order of the world In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0443
MLA: René Descartes. “to change my desires rather than the order….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0443.
Chicago: René Descartes. “to change my desires rather than the order….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0443.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “to change my desires rather than the order…”?
The passage is attributed to René Descartes, Discourse on the Method, Part III. The archive attributes this English wording to Discourse on the Method, Part III 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 desire?
Ethics and moral psychology analyze appetite, love, ambition, and addiction. Stoic, Buddhist, and psychoanalytic traditions treat desire as trainable rather than merely given. This passage enters that discussion through desire, self, wisdom.