This paper explains Descartes's
philosophy of the human mind and how his philosophy, which
contends that the real self is
based not in the nature of the material body but rather in the essence of thought, differs from empiricism, which
contends that the mind is informed by experience in a learning process that is based on sensation and cognition. The paper concludes with the author offering his personal perspective of Descartes's rationalism and whether it is applicable to his life and experiences.