Descartes is considered the father of modern philosophy, and these two works capture the essence of his thinking. In A Discourse on Method, he explores the moral implications of his method, the reasonings by which he deduces that God exists and that man has a soul, and the implications of his philosophy on science. A Discourse on Method includes Descartes' most famous and quotable statement: "I think; therefore, I am." Meditations on First Philosophy is one of the foundational works in philosophy. Both books are must reading for all who wish to have a solid grounding in philosophy and the development of Western thought. This edition contains the time-honored translation by Elizabeth S. Haldane.