Apparently pretty common after all.

[mrissa]

"Good sense is the most evenly distributed commodity in the world, for each of us considers himself to be so well endowed therewith that even those who are the most difficult to please in all other matters are not wont to desire more of it than they have."
--Rene Descartes, Discourse on the Method for Rightly Conducting One's Reason and for Seeking Truth in the Sciences

Oh, right, that's why we like reading Descartes! I'd almost forgotten the Descartes snark. Heh. Gonna be that kind of day.

Comments

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Is this definitely snark? It's ages since I read the book, but doesn't he take common sense as the basis for the Method, that things which seem clear and obvious must be true?

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Yes and no. It seems like the tone of much of it (I finished it about ten minutes ago) is at least a little bit snarky and/or jovial, but on the other hand he does rely on "clear and obvious" a lot, while trying to discard many of the things he recognizes other people around him think are clear and obvious...and failing to discard some of the the most culturally determined stuff from our perspective...oh, Rene, Rene, Rene.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

I am an exception--often wish I had better sense (though generally too late).

[numinicious.livejournal.com]

I'd almost forgotten the Descartes snark.

That, and if I remember correctly Descartes had this thing about melting hands.

[fidelioscabinet.livejournal.com]

I've always hoped that somewhere there was an alternate universe where Descartes and Princess Elizabeth managed to elope and set up housekeeping together.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

What a lovely thought.