Meditation I: Of Things Doubtful
第一篇：關於可懷疑的事物
Some years ago, I realized that many of the things I believed to be true in my youth were actually false.
幾年前，我意識到自己年輕時所相信的許多事情，其實是錯誤的。
Because of that, I began to doubt everything I had built on those beliefs.
因此，我開始對自己根據那些信念所建立的一切產生懷疑。
So I thought it necessary—if I ever wanted to build something solid and lasting in the sciences—to once in my life completely clear away all my beliefs and start anew from first principles.
於是我認為，如果我希望在科學上建立堅固且持久的基礎，那我一生中至少應有一次，徹底清除所有舊有信念，從最根本的原則重新開始。
But this seemed like a massive task, and I kept putting it off, waiting for the right moment of maturity.
但這看起來是一項艱鉅的任務，我不斷推遲，等待自己更加成熟的時刻。
Eventually, I realized I could wait no longer—I had to take action.
最終我明白，我不能再等下去了，必須開始行動。
So today, I’ve freed my mind from all concerns, found a quiet time, and secluded myself from distractions.
因此今天，我讓自己的心靈從一切瑣事中解放，找到一段安靜的時間，遠離干擾。
Now, I will seriously and deliberately begin the demolition of all my former opinions.
現在，我要認真且有意識地推翻自己過去的所有觀念。
To do this, I don’t need to prove that every single belief I had is false.
要做到這點，我不需要逐一證明我所有的信念都是錯的。
Instead, I only need to stop believing in anything that is even slightly uncertain.
我只需要對任何有一絲不確定性的觀念，停止信任即可。
If there is any reason to doubt a belief, then I will treat it as untrue.
只要有任何理由可以懷疑它，我就視其為不真實。
I don’t have to examine every belief one by one—that would take forever.
我也不必一一檢查每個信念，否則永遠做不完。
Rather, if I can destroy the foundation of my beliefs, everything built upon it will fall on its own.
相反地，只要我能摧毀這些信念的根基，其上建構的一切自然會崩塌。
Now, everything I’ve believed until now has come from the senses—or through the senses.
我至今所相信的一切，幾乎都來自感官，或是經由感官而得。
But I’ve often found my senses to be deceptive, and it is wise never to trust those who have deceived us even once.
但我經常發現感官會欺騙我，而明智之舉是，連一次欺騙過我們的東西也不再信任。
First Doubt
第一個懷疑
Yes, the senses deceive us sometimes—when things are far away or very small.
沒錯，感官有時確實會欺騙我們，例如在觀察遙遠或微小的事物時。
But what about obvious, everyday things? Like that I’m sitting here, next to a fire, wearing this winter coat, holding this paper in my hands?
但對於那些顯而易見、每天都在發生的事情呢？像是我現在坐在這裡、旁邊有火、穿著冬衣、手上拿著這張紙？
Could I really doubt that these hands or this body are mine?
我真的能懷疑這雙手或這個身體是我的嗎？
Only if I were as crazy as people with mental illness who think they are kings while they are poor, or imagine they wear robes when they are naked.
除非我像精神錯亂的人一樣，自以為是國王卻身無分文，或以為穿著長袍卻其實一絲不掛。
But such people are clearly mad—and I would be no different if I doubted things so obvious.
但這些人顯然瘋了——若我也懷疑這些明確的事實，那我和他們有何不同？
First Solution
第一個解答
That would be convincing—if I never slept.
這種說法也許合理——如果我從來不做夢的話。
But in dreams, I have often believed that I was sitting here, wearing clothes, by the fire, when in fact I was lying undressed in bed.
但在夢裡，我經常相信自己坐在這裡、穿著衣服、在火爐旁，而實際上我只是躺在床上、一絲不掛。
Now, I think I’m awake—I can see the paper, I move my head, stretch out my hand.
現在，我認為自己是清醒的——我能看見這張紙、搖頭、伸出手。
But haven’t I had similar vivid experiences in dreams?
但我在夢中也曾有過同樣清晰的感受，不是嗎？
The more I think about it, the harder it is to tell the difference between dreaming and waking.
我越是仔細思考，就越難分辨夢境與清醒。
I’m amazed by this, and that very amazement almost convinces me that I’m dreaming right now.
這種驚訝本身，幾乎讓我相信我此刻還在夢中。
Second Doubt
第二個懷疑
So let’s assume I am dreaming, and everything I see and feel is not real—
那我們就假設我正在做夢，所有我看到和感受到的東西都不是真實的——
That I have no eyes, no hands, no body, and all of it is imagined.
我沒有眼睛、沒有雙手、沒有身體，一切只是幻想。
Even so, the things I see in dreams—like images in paintings—must still be based on something real.
即使如此，夢裡所見之物，就像畫作中的圖像，仍必須有某種真實的基礎。
A painter, even when painting a mythical creature like a mermaid or satyr, doesn’t invent everything from scratch.
畫家即使在描繪美人魚或半人半獸時，也不是全然無中生有。
They combine real features from different animals.
他們只是把不同動物的特徵拼湊在一起。
And even when the creature is completely made-up, the colors used to paint it still have to be real.
即使那生物本身完全虛構，畫中所使用的「顏色」至少仍是真實的。
In the same way, even if the body, hands, eyes, and so on are imaginary,
同樣地，即便身體、手、眼睛等等是想像的，
There must still be real, simple, and universal things that these images are made of—like shape, extension, quantity, number, place, and time.
構成這些影像的一些更基本的元素仍必須是真實的——例如形狀、延展、大小、數量、位置與時間。
So from this, I can reasonably conclude: sciences that depend on complex things—like physics, medicine, and astronomy—are doubtful.
因此，我可以合理推論：那些依賴複雜事物的科學——例如物理學、醫學、天文學——都是可以被懷疑的。
But disciplines like arithmetic and geometry, which deal only with the simplest and most abstract concepts, contain truth that seems beyond doubt.
但像算術與幾何這樣只處理最基本與抽象概念的學科，其真理似乎不容置疑。
Whether I am asleep or awake, two plus three is still five, a square still has four sides.
不論我是在睡夢中還是清醒時，二加三總是五，正方形總是有四個邊。
It seems impossible to doubt such obvious truths.
這樣明顯的道理，似乎不可能被懷疑。
Second Solution
第二個解答
But hold on—what if there’s a powerful God who created me, just as I am?
但且慢——如果有一位強大的神，祂創造了我，使我成為現在的樣子呢？
And what if He made it so that there’s no earth, no sky, no physical bodies at all—
而如果祂讓地球、天空、甚至所有物質根本都不存在——
But still made me think they do?
卻讓我誤以為它們存在呢？
People often think they understand something, but still make mistakes.
人們常常以為自己理解某件事，結果還是會犯錯。
So what if even in doing simple math—adding two and three, or counting sides of a shape—I’m being deceived?
那麼即使在做最簡單的數學運算——像是二加三，或是計算圖形的邊數時——我也可能正在被欺騙嗎？
Third Doubt
第三個懷疑
But maybe God would never deceive me—He’s supposed to be all good.
也許你會說：神不會欺騙我，因為祂是全善的。
Third Solution
第三個解答
Yes, but if it’s against God’s goodness to deceive me all the time,
沒錯，但如果神的善性讓祂不可能總是欺騙我，
Then it should also be against His goodness to deceive me even occasionally.
那麼祂即便偶爾欺騙我，也應該是不符合善的。
But we all agree that people do make mistakes.
可大家都同意，人是會犯錯的。
Some would rather deny that God is all-powerful than believe that everything is uncertain.
有些人甚至寧可否認神的全能，也不願承認萬事皆可懷疑。
Let’s set that argument aside for now.
這裡我們暫且不談這個問題。
Even if God doesn’t exist, and I came to be through chance, fate, or natural causes—
即使沒有神，而我是經由偶然、命運或自然法則產生的——
The less perfect my origin is, the more likely I am to be flawed and easily deceived.
我的來源越不完美，我本身就越可能充滿缺陷、容易受騙。
The Final Realization
最終的體悟
At this point, I have no solid reason to believe any of the things I once accepted as true.
到了這一步，我已經找不到任何充分理由來相信我過去所接受的「真理」。
And my doubt is not reckless—it is deliberate and based on strong reasoning.
而這份懷疑並非出於衝動，而是經過深思熟慮與理性推演。
So if I want to find real truth, I must suspend belief in everything—even the things that seem most certain.
因此，如果我真的想發現真理，我就必須暫時拒絕相信任何東西——即使那些看起來最確定的也不例外。
But just thinking about this once isn’t enough. I have to keep reminding myself.
但只思考一次是不夠的，我必須時時提醒自己。
Because old habits return—again and again—and try to reclaim my belief.
因為舊習慣會不斷回來，努力重新掌控我的信念。
And as long as I treat them as merely “highly probable,” I’ll never fully escape their grip.
只要我還把它們當作「非常可能是真的」，我就無法真正擺脫它們。demon hypothesis and final reflection.
A Strategy: Total Suspension of Belief
策略：全面暫停信念
So I think the best course is to deliberately take the opposite side—
因此我認為最好的做法，是刻意站到信念的反面——
To suppose, for a time, that everything I’ve ever believed is completely false and imaginary.
暫時假設我過去所相信的一切，全都是虛假的、想像出來的。
This will help me detach from old habits, and allow my judgment to become balanced and free.
這樣做有助於我擺脫舊有的習慣，使我的判斷變得中立與自由。
Once the scale of prejudice is even on both sides, I’ll be better able to recognize the truth.
一旦偏見的天秤兩邊平衡了，我才能更清楚地認出真理。
This kind of doubt won’t lead to any harm, since I’m only exploring ideas—not making decisions for action.
這樣的懷疑並不會造成什麼實際損害，因為我所進行的是觀念上的探索，而不是行動上的抉擇。
The Evil Demon Hypothesis
邪惡惡魔的假設
To go even further, I will imagine not a perfectly good God, but instead some malicious, all-powerful deceiver.
更進一步，我將不再想像有一位全善全能的神，而是假設有一位邪惡的、無所不能的騙子。
This being devotes all his energy to misleading me.
這個存在竭盡所能地要欺騙我。
He creates a false world around me: the sky, the air, the earth, the colors, shapes, sounds—all illusions.
他為我打造了一個虛假的世界：天空、空氣、大地、色彩、形狀、聲音——全都是幻覺。
He traps me in this dream-like reality to fool me at every turn.
他讓我陷入這如夢似幻的現實，無時無刻不在欺騙我。
I will suppose that I have no senses, no body, no flesh or blood—
我會假設自己沒有感官、沒有身體、沒有血肉——
But only wrongly believe that I do.
只是誤以為我有這些東西。
I will stick firmly to this meditation, pushing doubt as far as it can go.
我將堅定不移地持守這種冥想，將懷疑推向極限。
Even if I cannot discover a single truth, at least I can make sure I don’t believe in falsehoods.
即使我無法發現任何真理，我至少可以確保自己不會相信虛假之事。
And I will stay vigilant, so that this powerful deceiver—no matter how cunning—cannot trick me.
我會保持警覺，使這個再強大狡詐的騙子，也無法左右我的信念。
The Pull of Habit and the Final Struggle
習慣的拉力與最後的掙扎
But this effort is exhausting.
但這樣的努力非常耗神。
A kind of laziness pulls me back toward everyday life.
一種慣性懶惰正把我拉回日常生活。
I’m like a prisoner dreaming of freedom—
我就像一個囚犯，在夢中享有自由——
And when I start to suspect it’s only a dream, I hesitate to wake up.
當我開始懷疑那只是夢時，我卻猶豫是否要醒來。
I want to keep believing the illusion, because it feels comfortable.
我寧願繼續相信這個幻象，因為它很令人安心。
And so I slip back into old opinions.
於是我又滑回到舊有的觀念裡。
I’m afraid that waking up would mean a life not in the light of certainty,
我害怕若真的清醒了，生活將不再有確定的光明，
But in the dark fog of doubt I’ve just stirred up.
而是陷入我所挑起的懷疑之迷霧中。
Meditation II: Of the Nature of the Human Mind, and That It Is More Easily Known Than the Body
第二篇：論人類心靈的本質，以及它比身體更容易被認識
The doubts I raised yesterday are still fresh in my mind.
昨天我所提出的懷疑仍歷歷在目。
I can’t yet be sure of the existence of anything external—
我仍無法確定任何外在事物是否存在——
Not the sky, the earth, my body, or even this place I think I’m in.
無論是天空、地球、我的身體，甚至我以為自己所在的地方，都無法確定。
But I’ve already convinced myself that there is absolutely nothing in the world—
但我已經說服自己，這個世界上沒有任何事物是確定的——
No sky, no earth, no minds, no bodies.
沒有天空、沒有大地、沒有心靈、也沒有肉體。
But does it follow that I too do not exist?
但這是否就表示我自己也不存在呢？
No—if I convinced myself of something, then surely I existed to do the convincing.
不——如果我說服了自己某件事，那麼說服的那個「我」肯定是存在的。
But there is a deceiver—some very powerful, very cunning being—
但如果有一個騙子——一個極其強大且狡猾的存在——
Who is constantly deceiving me, then surely I exist if he is deceiving me.
正不斷地欺騙我，那麼只要他能欺騙我，我「我」就必然存在。
Let him deceive me as much as he likes; he can never make it the case that I am nothing,
就算他再怎麼欺騙我，他也不可能讓「我」變得一無所有，
So long as I think that I am something.
只要我意識到「我是某個存在」。
So, I must conclude: I exist.
因此，我必須得出結論：我存在。
And this is certain—so firmly true that even the most extravagant doubts cannot shake it.
而這是確定無疑的——真實得連最極端的懷疑都無法動搖它。
This is the first principle of the philosophy I am seeking.
這是我所尋求之哲學的第一原則。
But what am I, exactly, this “I” that exists?
但我究竟是什麼？這個確實存在的「我」是什麼？
A rational animal? A body with a soul? A thinking thing?
是一個理性的動物？有靈魂的肉體？還是一個思想的存在？
I used to think I was a man.
我以前認為自己是一個「人」。
But what does that mean?
但「人」這個概念代表什麼？
A body with arms and legs, a face, hands, and such.
是一個有手有腳、有臉有手的肉體。
But now I’ve stripped away all of that—
但現在我把這一切都懷疑掉了——
I have denied the existence of the body and the senses.
我否定了身體與感官的存在。
So what remains?
那麼，還剩下什麼？
Only that I am a thinking thing—that is, a mind.
只剩下我是一個「思想的存在」——也就是一個心靈。
I am something that doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses, and also imagines and feels.
我是一個會懷疑、理解、肯定、否定、願望、抗拒，也能想像與感受的東西。
Even if all physical things are illusions, these mental acts—
即使所有的物質事物都是幻覺，這些心靈的活動——
These thoughts—are undeniably real.
這些思想——仍然無可否認地是真實的。
Let’s take one example: the piece of wax.
我們來看一個例子：一塊蜂蠟。
It has a smell, a shape, a color, a taste—it’s hard and cold to the touch, and it makes a sound when tapped.
它有氣味、形狀、顏色、味道——摸起來堅硬又冰冷，敲打時會發出聲音。
But when I bring it close to the fire, all those qualities change.
但當我將它靠近火時，這些性質都改變了。
Its shape softens, it melts, its color fades, its smell evaporates.
它變得柔軟、開始融化、顏色變淡、氣味消散。
Yet despite all these changes, I still recognize it as the same wax.
但即便這些性質全都變了，我還是認得它是同一塊蠟。
So what is this wax?
那麼，這塊蠟到底是什麼？
Not what I know through the senses, since everything the senses told me has changed.
它不是我透過感官所認識的，因為感官所呈現的一切都變了。
It is something grasped by the mind alone.
它是一種只能透過心靈本身去理解的存在。
This shows that the mind is better known than the body.
這說明了：心靈比身體更容易被認識。
I can doubt the existence of bodies, but I cannot doubt that I am thinking.
我可以懷疑肉體的存在，但我不能懷疑我正在思考這件事。
Even knowledge of physical objects like wax comes not from the senses, but from the judgment of the mind.
即使是對蜂蠟這種物質的認識，也不是來自感官，而是來自心靈的判斷。
So, again, I conclude:
因此，我再度得出結論：
“I am, I exist”—this is certain.
「我在，我存在」——這是確定無疑的。
And I am a thinking thing, and that’s what I am first and foremost.
而我是一個思想的存在，這就是我最根本的本質。
Let me return to that piece of wax.
讓我回到那塊蜂蠟的例子。
Even though its color, shape, and texture changed, I still judged that it was the same substance.
即使它的顏色、形狀與觸感都改變了，我仍然判斷它是同一塊東西。
But how did I make that judgment?
但我是如何做出這個判斷的？
Not through my imagination.
不是靠我的想像力。
I cannot imagine all the possible shapes the wax could take.
我無法想像出蜂蠟可能呈現的所有形狀。
So it must be my mind alone that recognizes the wax through reason, not through the senses or imagination.
所以一定是靠心靈本身的理性來認識蜂蠟，而不是靠感官或想像。
This shows that my knowledge of physical things is an act of thought, not passive reception through the senses.
這說明了：我對物質的認知是一種思想的活動，而不是透過感官被動接受。
But even more importantly, this insight tells me something about myself.
但更重要的是，這個發現告訴了我一些關於我自己的事。
When I look out a window and see people in the street, what do I actually see?
當我透過窗戶看到街上的人時，我究竟看到了什麼？
Hats and coats moving about—but I assume there are people inside them.
我看到的是走動的帽子和外套——但我推斷它們裡面有人。
Yet it’s really my mind alone that judges there are people, not my eyes.
但其實判斷那是「人」的，是我單靠心靈本身，而不是眼睛。
Even when I perceive things with my senses, it’s my mind that interprets and affirms them.
即使我用感官去感知事物，最後仍然是我的心靈去詮釋並確認它們。
Therefore, I know I exist—and I know what I am—
因此，我知道我存在，也知道我是什麼——
A thinking thing, capable of understanding, willing, imagining, and perceiving.
一個會思考的存在，有能力理解、願望、想像與感知。
I may still not know what my body is.
我或許仍然不知道我的身體是什麼。
But I know clearly and distinctly what my mind is.
但我清楚而明確地知道我的心靈是什麼。
And what is known clearly and distinctly must be true.
而凡是被清楚且明確地認知到的，必然為真。
So I conclude:
因此，我得出結論：
The mind is better known than the body.
心靈比身體更容易被認識。
And even if everything else turns out to be an illusion,
即使其他一切最終證明是幻覺，
This one truth remains:
有一個真理仍然存在：
I am a thinking being, and I exist.
我是一個思想的存在，而且我確實存在。
Meditation III: Concerning God, That He Exists
第三篇：論上帝的存在
I will now shut my eyes, stop my ears, and withdraw all my senses.
現在，我要閉上雙眼、塞住雙耳，遠離一切感官。
I will even try to erase all images of physical things from my mind.
我甚至會嘗試從心中抹去所有與物質有關的形象。
Only then can I clearly understand what remains after all of that.
只有這樣，我才能清楚知道，在失去一切之後，到底剩下什麼。
From earlier, I know with certainty that I exist.
根據前面的推理，我確知自己存在。
But I must examine more deeply what kind of thing I am.
但我必須更深入地探究，我是什麼樣的存在。
I am a thinking thing.
我是個會思考的存在。
This includes doubting, understanding, affirming, denying, willing, refusing, imagining, and sensing.
這包括懷疑、理解、肯定、否定、願望、抗拒、想像與感知。
Even if the objects I sense aren’t real, the experience of sensing still happens in my mind.
即使我所感知的對象可能不存在，這些感知的經驗卻實實在在地發生在我的心靈中。
Now, I notice that in addition to knowing I exist, I also have the idea of a perfect, infinite being.
現在，我注意到，除了知道自己存在之外，我的心中還存在一個完美無限的存在的觀念。
This being has all the highest qualities: omniscience, omnipotence, goodness, and so on.
這個存在具有一切至高的特質：全知、全能、全善，等等。
Where does this idea come from?
那麼，這個觀念從何而來？
I did not invent it.
我不是自己發明這個觀念的。
In fact, I can’t even imagine infinity fully.
事實上，我甚至無法真正想像出什麼是「無限」。
I recognize that I am imperfect, and the idea of perfection stands in contrast to me.
我承認自己是不完美的，而「完美」這個觀念正好與我形成對比。
So this idea cannot come from me, since I am finite and flawed.
因此這個觀念不可能來自我，因為我有限又有缺陷。
The idea of a perfect being must have come from a perfect cause.
這個完美存在的觀念，一定來自某個真正完美的原因。
And that cause must be… God.
而那個原因，必然就是……上帝。
Therefore, God exists.
因此，上帝存在。
His idea is in me, and He must be the source of it.
祂的觀念存在於我心中，而祂必定是這個觀念的來源。
The idea of God could not have come from nothing, nor from something lesser than God.
上帝的觀念不可能來自虛無，也不可能來自某個比祂低劣的存在。
But perhaps I am mistaken in this reasoning?
但也許我的推理出了錯？
I must examine my thoughts carefully to ensure they are clear and distinct.
我必須小心檢查自己的思想，以確保它們是清楚而明確的。
Because I have already concluded that everything I clearly and distinctly perceive must be true.
因為我已經得出結論：凡是我清楚而明確地感知到的，就必然為真。
And the idea of God is clear and distinct—
而上帝的觀念是清楚而明確的——
A being that is eternal, unchangeable, independent, all-knowing, all-powerful, and the source of all things.
一個永恆、不變、自存、全知、全能、萬物之源的存在。
Now, if this perfect God exists, then He is not a deceiver.
既然這位完美的上帝存在，那祂就不會欺騙人。
Deception is a sign of weakness or malice, and these don’t exist in a perfect being.
欺騙代表著弱點或邪惡，而這些都不可能存在於完美的存在之中。
So I can trust that what I clearly and distinctly understand is true.
所以我可以相信，凡是我清晰明確理解的事物，都是真實的。
And that’s only possible because God exists and is no deceiver.
而這一切成立的前提，就是上帝存在且不欺騙人。
Without God, I couldn’t be certain of anything—not even math or logic.
若沒有上帝，我無法確定任何事——甚至連數學或邏輯也無法相信。
An evil deceiver could constantly mislead me, even in the simplest truths.
一個邪惡的欺騙者可能不斷誤導我，即使是最簡單的真理也無法倖免。
But now that I know God exists and is good,
但既然我現在知道上帝存在且是良善的，
I have a firm foundation for truth.
我就有了真理的堅固根基。
Meditation IV: Concerning the True and the False
第四篇：論真與假
So far, I’ve discovered that I exist, that I am a thinking thing, and that God exists.
到目前為止，我已經確認了我存在，我是一個思想的存在，而且上帝也存在。
God is perfect and cannot deceive me.
上帝是完美的，因此祂不可能欺騙我。
Yet I still sometimes make mistakes—so where do these errors come from?
但我仍然會犯錯——那麼這些錯誤是從哪裡來的呢？
If God is not a deceiver, how can I explain the fact that I sometimes fall into falsehood?
如果上帝不欺騙人，我又該如何解釋自己有時會誤入謬誤？
Let me think carefully.
讓我仔細思考。
God gave me my faculties—my understanding and my will.
上帝賜給我我的能力——我的理解力與意志。
And these faculties come from a perfect Creator.
而這些能力來自一位完美的創造者。
So they cannot, in themselves, be faulty.
因此這些能力本身不可能有缺陷。
Where, then, does error come from?
那麼，錯誤到底來自哪裡？
It arises not because my faculties are imperfect,
錯誤的發生不是因為我的能力不完美，
But because I misuse them.
而是因為我錯用了它們。
Specifically, the problem lies in the relationship between my understanding and my will.
問題特別出在我的「理解力」與「意志」之間的關係。
My understanding is limited—I can’t grasp everything.
我的理解力是有限的——我無法理解所有事物。
But my will is unlimited—I can choose or affirm anything, even beyond my understanding.
但我的意志卻是無限的——我可以對任何事情做出選擇或判斷，即使它超出我的理解。
And this is where the problem arises.
問題就出在這裡。
When I judge something without fully understanding it, I risk making a mistake.
當我在未完全理解之前就對某事下判斷，我就有可能犯錯。
That’s the misuse of my will—extending it beyond what my understanding can support.
這就是我錯用意志——讓它超出了理解力所能支撐的範圍。
So, error is not a flaw in God’s creation, but a result of my freedom and misuse of that freedom.
所以，錯誤不是上帝創造中的缺陷，而是來自我自由意志的誤用。
Still, this freedom is a great gift.
然而，這份自由本身是一份極大的恩賜。
It allows me to choose between truth and falsehood, between good and evil.
它讓我能在真與假、善與惡之間做選擇。
And if I use it properly, by suspending judgment when I don’t clearly understand something,
而只要我正確地使用這份自由，在我未清楚明瞭之前不輕下判斷，
I will avoid falling into error.
我就能避免犯錯。
So how should I live?
那麼，我應該如何生活呢？
I should only affirm what I clearly and distinctly perceive.
我應該只對那些我清楚且明確理解的事物作出肯定。
When something is unclear, I should suspend judgment.
若某事不明確，我就應該暫時保留判斷。
This is how I align my will with my understanding.
如此，我才能讓我的意志與我的理解力協調一致。
In this way, I honor the faculties God has given me,
這樣一來，我就能善用上帝所賜的能力，
And I avoid error, not by being forced, but by using my free will wisely.
也不是被強迫，而是靠著明智地使用自由意志來避免犯錯。
Meditation V: Of the Essence of Material Things, and Again of God, That He Exists
第五篇：論物質事物的本質，以及再論上帝的存在
So far, I’ve discovered many truths by focusing only on what I clearly and distinctly perceive.
到目前為止，我透過專注於清楚且明確的觀念，已發現了許多真理。
I now want to see whether there is anything certain in the realm of material things.
現在，我想看看在物質事物的領域中是否也有任何確定的真理。
First, I recall that I seem to perceive objects physically—shapes, sizes, numbers, and positions.
首先，我記得自己似乎能感知物體的形狀、大小、數量與位置。
Even if those objects don’t really exist, the ideas of them still exist in my mind.
即使那些物體實際上不存在，它們的觀念仍然存在於我的心中。
So what I need to ask is: What do I clearly and distinctly understand about these ideas?
因此我需要問的是：對這些觀念，我能有什麼清楚且明確的理解？
For example, I clearly understand the nature of a triangle:
例如，我清楚地理解「三角形」的本質：
It has three sides, and the sum of its angles is 180 degrees.
它有三條邊，且其內角總和為一百八十度。
Even if no triangle exists in the real world, the truth of these properties remains.
即使現實中沒有一個三角形存在，這些性質的真理依然成立。
So it seems that certain truths about material things—especially mathematical truths—
所以看來，某些關於物質事物的真理，特別是數學的真理——
Are independent of the physical world, and depend only on my mind’s perception.
是獨立於物理世界而存在的，只仰賴我的心靈去認知。
Now, this leads me back to the idea of God.
這又讓我回到了對上帝的思考。
I find within me the idea of a supremely perfect being—
我在心中發現有一個「至高完美存在」的觀念——
And just like the idea of a triangle contains certain truths,
而就像三角形的觀念內含著一些不變的真理，
The idea of God contains the idea of existence.
上帝的觀念內也包含著存在的觀念。
It is part of the essence of a perfect being that it must exist—
對於一個完美的存在來說，「存在」是其本質的一部分——
Just as it is part of the essence of a triangle that its angles sum to 180 degrees.
正如三角形的本質之一是其內角總和為一百八十度。
So I cannot think of God without thinking of existence—
因此，我無法思考上帝而不思考祂的存在——
Which means that God necessarily exists.
這就意味著：上帝必然存在。
Some might object: “Just because I have an idea of a perfect being doesn’t mean it exists in reality!”
有人也許會反對說：「我心中有一個完美存在的觀念，不代表這個存在在現實中真的存在！」
But this is different from imagining, say, a unicorn.
但這與想像獨角獸不同。
The idea of God includes existence as part of its very definition.
上帝的觀念中，「存在」本身就是其定義的一部分。
A unicorn can be imagined with or without existence,
獨角獸的觀念無論它是否存在，都不改其形象，
But a perfect being without existence would be imperfect—and thus not God.
但一個不存在的完美存在就會變成不完美，那就不是上帝了。
Therefore, the existence of God is as certain as the truth of mathematics.
因此，上帝的存在就如同數學定理一樣確定無疑。
And this truth, like all others that I clearly and distinctly perceive,
而這個真理，就像其他所有我清楚且明確理解的真理一樣，
Is guaranteed by God Himself—who is no deceiver.
是由上帝自己保證的——祂絕不欺騙。
This is a solid foundation.
這是一個堅固的根基。
It confirms that whatever I clearly and distinctly perceive must be true.
它確認了：我清楚明確所感知的，都必然為真。
Because God exists, and God is perfect,
因為上帝存在，且祂是完美的，
He would not allow me to be deceived about such clear truths.
祂不會讓我在這些明白無誤的真理上受騙。
Meditation VI: Of the Existence of Material Things and the Real Distinction Between Mind and Body
第六篇：論物質事物的存在與心靈和身體之真實區別
I’ve now reached a point where I know:
- that I exist,
- that I am a thinking thing,
- that God exists and is no deceiver.
我現在已確定以下幾點： - 我存在，
- 我是一個思想的存在，
- 上帝存在，且祂不會欺騙我。
That gives me confidence to begin trusting what I clearly and distinctly perceive once again.
這讓我有信心再次信任那些我清楚且明確地感知的事物。
So now, can I be certain that material things exist?
那麼，我能否確定物質事物的存在呢？
I feel strongly that they do—I seem to see them, hear them, touch them.
我確實有這種強烈的感覺——我似乎看見它們、聽見它們、觸摸它們。
But these perceptions come from the senses, and I’ve already learned that the senses can deceive.
但這些感知來自感官，而我已知道感官是會欺騙人的。
So I must be cautious.
所以我必須謹慎。
Still, God gave me a strong natural impulse to believe that physical things exist.
然而，上帝賦予我一種強烈的自然傾向去相信物質的存在。
And because God is not a deceiver, I can trust that this natural belief is not false.
既然上帝不欺騙人，我就可以相信這種自然信念不會是虛假的。
So, I conclude that material things really do exist—
因此，我得出結論：物質事物的確存在——
At least, in some form that corresponds to the ideas I have of them.
至少，它們的存在形式與我對它們的觀念有某種對應。
But what exactly are these physical things?
但這些物質事物究竟是什麼呢？
They are extended in space, have shape, quantity, motion, and so on.
它們具有延展性、有形狀、大小、運動等性質。
These are the things I clearly and distinctly understand—and are the true essence of matter.
這些是我清楚且明確理解的內容，也是物質的真正本質。
Now I turn to the mind-body distinction.
現在，我轉向心靈與身體的區別。
From earlier meditations, I know I am a thinking, non-extended thing.
根據前面的沉思，我知道我是個會思考的、沒有延展性的存在。
And I know the body is non-thinking, extended matter.
而我知道身體是會延展、但不思考的物質。
Since I clearly and distinctly perceive my mind and body to have different essential properties,
既然我清楚且明確地感知到心靈與身體具有不同的本質性質，
I can conclude they are truly distinct substances.
我就可以斷定，它們是真正不同的實體。
My mind is indivisible, simple, and capable of thought.
我的心靈是不可分割的、單純的，並能進行思想活動。
My body is divisible, extended, and unthinking.
我的身體是可分的、有延展性的，且不會思考。
Yet they are closely connected.
然而，它們又是緊密相連的。
I experience sensations—like hunger, pain, or heat—
我會經歷一些感覺——如飢餓、疼痛或熱——
Which show that my mind is affected by the body.
這些說明我的心靈會受到身體的影響。
This union of mind and body is real and intimate,
心靈與身體的結合是真實且緊密的，
But they remain distinct in essence.
但它們在本質上依然是不同的。
So now, what have I gained from all these meditations?
那麼，我從這一系列沉思中得到了什麼？
I have learned that:
- I am a thinking being,
- My mind is distinct from my body,
- God exists,
- He is no deceiver,
- And the material world exists.
我學到了： - 我是一個思想的存在，
- 我的心靈與身體是區別的，
- 上帝存在，
- 祂是不會欺騙的，
- 物質世界確實存在。
I can now build all true knowledge on these foundations.
我現在可以在這些基礎上建構所有真實的知識。
And I must always base my judgments on what I clearly and distinctly perceive.
而我應該永遠根據我清楚且明確感知到的來做判斷。
For in this, I honor both truth and the God who created me.
因為這樣做，不僅是尊重真理，也是尊敬創造我的上帝。
✅ This completes Meditation VI, and with it, Descartes’ entire Meditations on First Philosophy in full English–Traditional Chinese alternating format.
Leave a Reply