men walking across the street. His mind tells him they are men without him having to see their masculine physical features. This is done automatically and without thinking. Therefore, his eyes see human forms walking across the street, but it is his mind that investigates and arranges the data to perceive it as men. “Thus what I thought I had seen with my eyes, I actually grasped solely with the faculty of judgement, which is in my mind” (22). Descartes finds that his essence is in his mind. He places a major importance on the intellect. I also believe it is the mind, through understanding, that leads us to our various conclusions. The point that Descartes makes here is that only through the mind can we understand the essential qualities of the wax or anything else for that matter. The melted piece of wax exhibits qualities of something that is extended, flexible, and mutable (21). These are qualities that are only clear to the intellect. I think that Descartes’ main point is that if he is able to understand the wax better with his mind, then he should know himself better through the same faculty. I now find myself looking at things a bit closer and not always believing what my senses first show me....
