Question 227·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- The phrase "Cogito, ergo sum" is Latin for "I think, therefore I am."
- René Descartes first presented this statement in his 1637 work Discourse on the Method.
- Descartes used the proposition as the indubitable foundation of his philosophical system.
- He later repeated the phrase in his 1644 treatise Principles of Philosophy.
The student wants to write a sentence for a paper that both defines Descartes' famous statement and indicates its foundational role in his philosophy. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions like this, start by underlining the exact task in the prompt (here, define the phrase and show its foundational role). Then scan the notes and label which pieces of information satisfy each part of that task. As you review the answer choices, eliminate any that (1) ignore one of the required purposes, (2) focus on less relevant notes, or (3) introduce unsupported or unnecessary details. The correct answer will directly combine the key notes into a single, clear sentence that fully matches the prompt’s goal.
Hints
Focus on the task in the prompt
The question asks for a sentence that does two things. Before looking at the choices, restate those two things in your own words so you know exactly what to look for.
Match notes to the two goals
Look back at the bullet points. Which note tells you what the phrase means, and which note tells you how it functions in Descartes’ philosophy?
Eliminate partial answers
For each choice, ask: Does this choice both explain what the phrase means and show that it played a central role in his philosophical system? If it leaves out either part, cross it out.
Watch for irrelevant or unsupported details
Be cautious of choices that bring in information not clearly stated in the notes or that focus on when or where Descartes repeated the phrase instead of its meaning and philosophical role.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the writing goal
The prompt says the student wants a sentence that does two things:
- Defines Descartes’ famous statement.
- Indicates its foundational role in his philosophy.
Any correct answer must clearly accomplish both of these goals, not just one.
Pull the relevant information from the notes
Look at the notes and match them to the two goals:
- Definition:
- "The phrase 'Cogito, ergo sum' is Latin for 'I think, therefore I am.'"
- Foundational role:
- "Descartes used the proposition as the indubitable foundation of his philosophical system."
The other notes (“first presented… in 1637” and “later repeated… in 1644”) are extra details. They can be included, but the answer must at least cover the definition and the foundational role.
Check which choices include the necessary ideas
Now check each option against the two required elements:
- Does it define the phrase (give its meaning or translation)?
- Does it show that the phrase was the indubitable foundation of his philosophical system?
Keep in mind that adding details not in the notes or leaving out one of these two ideas makes a choice ineffective.
Evaluate each choice briefly
Go through the options:
- Choice B: Focuses on where Descartes presented and repeated the phrase (1637 and 1644), but it does not translate the phrase or state that it was the foundation of his philosophical system.
- Choice C: Translates the phrase and mentions its first presentation in 1637, but says nothing about its foundational role.
- Choice D: Refers to an indubitable starting point and mentions repetition in 1644, but it does not translate the phrase, so it fails to define it for the reader.
Only one option clearly includes both the definition and the idea that it served as the indubitable foundation of Descartes’ philosophy, while staying grounded in the notes.
Select the sentence that fulfills both goals
The only sentence that both defines the phrase and states that it provided the indubitable foundation for Descartes’ philosophical system, while using information from the notes, is:
Descartes’ Latin maxim "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am") served as the indubitable foundation of his philosophical system.