... lifetime appear to be much more intentional. Descartes had been taught by the Catholic order of the Jesuits, a society of missionaries founded by Ignatius Loyola, a group that grew by teaching the elite the ways of the Catholic Church. The society eventually grew in size and support, ultimately running a selection of their own schools throughout Europe. It is this education that encouraged Descartes to try and break with the humanities style of teaching in favour of a more scientific method. Descartes also believed in a need for the individual. He had a strong desire to be original with his ideas and not simulate anything that had gone before. This is best seen in his desire to question, destroy and rebuild his own belief structure. This can be seen within the second Discourse. "I would succeed in ordering my life much better [by the destruction of old beliefs] than ...

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