... were the subject of intellectual debate throughout the 17th and 18th Century - reiterating the influence and longevity of this document. Regardless of the fact that Descartes stresses that this work is a journey of personal ideological discovery, the importance of these passages remains prominent today as it raises timeless questions about the human condition that can never be wholly resolved (e.g.: what factors compose our humanity? Does God exist? What is man's relationship with God? ) which is especially pertinent in today's world of political instability and religious fundamentalism. Indeed, the two most widely known of Descartes' philosophical ideas are those of a method of hyperbolic doubt, and the argument that, though he may doubt, he cannot doubt his very existence. The first of these comprises of the fundamental ideals of Descartes' philosophical method. He resolutely refused to accept the authority of previous philosophers - but he also declined ...

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