Written by René Descartes in 1641, this foundational text of modern philosophy explores the existence of God and the reliability of our senses from a starting point of skepticism.

In recent years, films like The Matrix and even well-known figures like Elon Musk have raised the question of whether we are really living in a complex computer simulation.

But hypothetical scenarios questioning the nature of our reality are far older than the computer age.

René Descartes was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist who was one of the most notable intellectuals of the Dutch Golden Age.

In this foundational text written in 1641, Descartes sets out to question the evidence of our senses and the world around us, subjecting all his knowledge to the test of skepticism to see what truths can be established.