Quote by René Descartes: “Except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power.”

This quote suggests that while external events are beyond our control, our internal thoughts and reactions remain our ultimate domain. It promotes a sense of inner sovereignty, implying that true freedom and agency lie in mastering one's mind, regardless of outer circumstances.

As Europe experienced religious wars and political instability, Descartes sought inner certainty, proposing that control over one's mind is the ultimate freedom.

French philosopher and mathematician whose Discourse on the Method and Meditations on First Philosophy founded modern rationalist philosophy. He is credited with establishing the mind-body problem and introducing the coordinate system that bears his name.