KudoZ home » Latin to English » Art/Literary

cognito ergo sum

English translation: I think, therefore I am

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Latin term or phrase:	cogito ergo sum
English translation:	I think, therefore I am
Entered by:	xxxOso

Options:
- Contribute to this entry

00:46 Jan 27, 2003

Latin to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary

Latin term or phrase: cognito ergo sum

cognito ergo sum

lori weikel

I think, therefore I am

Explanation:
The phrase is in Latin.
Good luck from Oso ¶:^)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-27 00:53:09 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"...Descartes was a student of mathematic reasoning, he believed that it was the path to a secure theory of knowledge. Descartes coined the phrase \"Cognito, ergo sum.\" (\"I think, therefore I am\") which was a conclusion that there was only one thing of which he could be certain; that he existed!...\"

http://www.swil.ocdsb.edu.on.ca/ModWest/HUMANISM/philosophy/...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-27 01:03:57 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As P. Forgas noted below, the correct spelling in Latin is: \"Cogito ergo sum\"

\"Cogito, ergo sum.
Descartes’ axiom. This is a petitio principii. “I think” can only prove this: that “I think.” And he might just as well infer from it the existence of thought as the existence of I. He is asked to prove the latter, and immediately assumes that it exists and does something, and then infers that it exists because it does something. Suppose I were asked to prove the existence of ice, and were to say, ice is cold, therefore there is such a thing as ice. Manifestly I first assume there is such a thing as ice, then ascribe to it an attribute, and then argue back that this attribute is the outcome of ice. This is not proof, but simply arguing in a circle...\"

http://www.bartleby.com/81/3821.html

Selected response from:

xxxOso
United States

Grading comment

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +18

I think, therefore I am

xxxOso

5 +1

I think, therefore I am

William Clough

I learn, therefore I am

Magda Dziadosz

Answers

2 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +18

I think, therefore I am

xxxOso
United States
Native speaker of:

Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 19

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

P Forgas: Cogito, ergo sum, not cognito

4 mins

-> Thank you, P. ¶:^)

agree

Cristina Moldovan do Amaral

5 mins

-> Thank you, Cristina ¶:^)

agree

xxxNikita Kobri

6 mins

-> Thank you, Nikita ¶:^)

agree

Susana Galilea: me parece que el colega Forgas tiene razón

8 mins

-> Yo también, Susana. Gracias ¶:^)

agree

Martin Perazzo: Yup, y es "cogito" no "cognito"

12 mins

-> Así es, Martin. Gracias ¶:^)

agree

Rowan Morrell

35 mins

-> Thank you, Rowan ¶:^)

agree

zebung: no doubt

2 hrs

-> Thank you, zebung ¶:^)

agree

trixiemck

3 hrs

-> Muchas gracias, Trixie ¶:^)

agree

Fernando Muela

5 hrs

-> Mil gracias, Fer ¶:^)

agree

Piotr Kurek

5 hrs

-> Thank you, Piotr ¶:^)

agree

vdv: cogito ergo sum

6 hrs

-> Thank you, vdv ¶:^)

agree

Maciej Andrzejczak

7 hrs

-> Thank you, Maciej ¶:^)

agree

Marie Scarano

7 hrs

-> Thank you, Marie ¶:^)

agree

Joseph Brazauskas

9 hrs

-> Thank you, Joseph ¶:^)

agree

Mura

12 hrs

-> Thank you, Mura ¶:^)

agree

Antonio Camangi

17 hrs

-> Thank you, acamangi ¶:^)

agree

Virginia L-D

17 hrs

-> Mil gracias, Virginia ¶:^)

agree

xxxcmk

33 days

-> Muchas gracias, cmk ¶:^)

21 mins confidence:

I learn, therefore I am

Explanation:
If it is not a misspelled Descartes' "COGITO ergo sum" it may be a play of words meaning rather: I learn, or I study, therefore I am.

(Lating) cognosco - to learn, to recognise,to study, to read.

Magda

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-27 01:10:26 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

PS cognito is not correct Latin, either.

Magda Dziadosz
Poland
Local time: 11:50
Native speaker of:

Polish

47 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

I think, therefore I am

Explanation:
"COGITO ergo sum" is the famous conclusion drawn by Descartes after a long and arduous attempt to prove his own existence. Troubled by the fact that he could only prove his experience of life through his own perceptions, he began to examine and systematically remove everything that depended on his perceptions. In the end, the only thing left that was irrefutable was the fact that he could think. Using that, he verified his existence and went on to base a whole lot of other truths on that fact. Since then, this phrase has been used throughout literature of all kinds, usually when the writer wishes to emphasize the importance of our ability to think.

(I heard that the later conclusions Descartes made weren't as sound or easy to understand as his first, though. I also heard that he went up into the mountains and locked himself in a cabin until he could prove that he existed. He apparently was a little unstable from thinking too much.)

William Clough
United States
Native speaker of:

English