The Biggest Mistake Students Make With Descartes' Cogito Ergo Sum

Picture this: you're grinding through homework, and suddenly a Descartes' Cogito Ergo Sum question brings you to a dead stop. It's frustrating, but the fix is actually simpler than you think.

Did you make this error?

• The Trap: thinking 'I think, therefore I am' proves the body exists
• The Proof: Read this scenario: Descartes used radical doubt to strip away everything. He realized a demon could be tricking his senses, but the very act of *doubting* proved a mind existed to do the doubting. It proves mind, not body.

If your logic doesn't match the proof above, you've fallen for the trap. Erase it and start over.

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