FAMOUS PHILOSOPHER’S QUOTE: “Cogito ergo sum.” (“I think, therefore I am.”)
René Descartes (1596-1650)
French mathematician and philosopher
Famous axiom in his book Principia Philosophiae (Principles of Philosophy, 1644)
Descartes first recorded the axiom in French, as “Je pense, donc je suis,” in his philosophical and mathematical treatise, Le Discours de la Méthode (A Discourse on Method, 1637). However, the Latin version from Principia Philosophiae — “Cogito ergo sum” — is better known.
The French and Latin versions of the quote have traditionally been translated in English as “I think, therefore I am.”
Alternate translations include “I am thinking, therefore I am” and “I am thinking, therefore I exist.” |
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THE PRESIDENT TRUMP TWEET THEORY VARIATION:
“He tweets, therefore he is. Twitter gives him a platform to say whatever he wants completely unfiltered. The media can’t and won’t do that for him.”
John Feehery
Republican political consultant
Quoted in an article media writer James Warren posted on the Vanity Fair website on December 6, 2016
(Cartoon by Kim Warp.) |
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A FAMOUS HUNTER’S VARIATION:
“We eat, therefore we hunt.”
Sarah Palin
Conservative American politician, celebrity and avid hunter
This comes from the rambling speech Palin gave on July 26, 2009, announcing her resignation as Governor of Alaska. The full quote is: “Stand strong, and remind them patriots will protect our guaranteed, individual right to bear arms, and by the way, Hollywood needs to know, we eat, therefore we hunt.” |
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AN AVANT-GARDE PAINTER’S VARIATION:
“I Suck Therefore I Am”
Agus Suwage
Indonesian artist
This is the title of the 2004 painting by Suwage shown at left. At the time, it was estimated to be worth up to 207,000 Malaysian Ringgits (over $61,975 in U.S. currency). Other works by Suwage have sold for even more, so I guess some people don’t think he sucks. |
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THE SHOPAHOLIC VARIATION:
“I Shop Therefore I Am”
Barbara Kruger
American multimedia artist
These words on the artwork by Kruger shown at left are seemingly a send-up of consumerism. But ironically, the image was later used on tote bags and t-shirts sold by Bloomingdale’s. |
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THE ALCOHOLIC TEACHER VARIATION:
“I Teach Therefore I Drink”
A slogan on t-shirts sold on Amazon and other sites. They seem to be quite popular. I’m not sure what that says about the teaching profession.
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Comments? Questions? Corrections? Post them on my Famous Quotations Facebook group.
Some books with a title or subtitle based on Descartes’ quote (there are even more)…
